Discovering Dewees Island, South Carolina

By John Porretto

A ferry ride, ushered by three playful dolphins, was an amazing experience that sent me back to my youth – to days when I actually had time to relax, to re-energize. The moment I arrived at the Dewees dock I was met by a special island paradise – unsullied by common progress, exquisitely subtle in its development–a place where life is slower paced – and naturally, rather than artificially beautiful.

A breathtaking stretch of beach lay before me, with sea oaks dotting dunes and swaying in the fresh ocean breezes; marsh areas bursting with sweetgrass and carrying the tangy salt fragrances reminded me of my childhood in Galveston, Texas, where time didn’t move so fast. Every system in my body slowed to the pace of Dewees Island – in stark contrast to the frenetic pace of a large metropolitan area. For the first time I seriously questioned how I was living.

Dewees is a barrier island that protects the South Carolina coast from severe storm damage and offers a refuge for plants and animals. Nature designed it to weather storms. The developers and residents of Dewees Island respect and preserve these natural principles. Here, the harmony between man and nature is striking.

Sights and sounds of seagulls, rushes of the birds and island breezes, the roar of the ocean and the lapping of water in the marsh elevated my sense of well being. I was struck by the absence of traffic sounds (there are permeable paths for electric golf carts, the fastest moving vehicles allowable on Dewees), and by how breathtaking the sky is at night when there are no city lights competing with their brilliance. How is it that our society advanced and yet strayed from the gifts of nature? How is it that our children have more experience with computers, television, video games and malls than with our beaches, starfish, alligators, glorious sunsets and dark, dark nights where stars seem a mere stretch away? Is it possible that as we have pursued the good life, we have missed the best life?

Dewees Island is built on enduring principles of environmental respect, planned simplicity, and preservation. Homes on Dewees nestle in, making a small footprint on the island, and because beach erosion and accretion are understood and anticipated, homes are set back safely from the ocean. Fencing and beach access paths encourage an impressive, healthy dune system. Indigenous residential landscaping requires no artificial chemical maintenance and protects the island from erosion.

A single weekend was all it took for me to recognize that Dewees would be where my family would build a vacation home, where one day we might live full time. The community comprises a maximum 150 property owners who enjoy fishing, bird watching, a broad range of educational outreach programs, a book club, art exhibitions, and poker. To provide some perspective, a nearby island of the same size is teeming with houses, condominiums, golf and tennis, and thousands of people. Tennis and a swimming pool are included in the amenities of the Island’s inn, the Huyler House. (Pictured below) But golf, which requires great quantities of added water and chemicals is not, so golfers head to the mainland to indulge their passion. Those who reside full time on the Island, I have learned, are quite sociable and participate in wine tastings, progressive dinners, and some lively parties.

The fit of this place with my home building philosophy and approach is perfect. Wise planning ensures that people may live safely and in harmony with the island for generations. Island homes must be able to endure the elements as well as dunes and native oaks and palms do. So, guided by principles of respect, simplicity, and preservation, my wife Sue and I decided to craft a strong, healthful, energy efficient home that would endure – for our children, and their children. I intend to express my sense of stewardship and community by building homes for others to enjoy the same – an “heirloom” home, if you will.

Called to Dewees

My decision to live on this island and to build homes for others here was not an accident. I think in many ways that my wife and I have been moving in a new direction in our professional and personal development for many years. Deciding to be in a special place like Dewees requires a certain reverence for surroundings and a desire for a simpler way of living – an escape if you will – a respite from a world moving way too fast.

While nearing the end of a career that spanned 38 years at an academic health center, I was influenced by Paul Hawkin’s book, The Ecology of Commerce, which led me to understand that everything we do is connected to something else; and every act of business can be sustainable and restorative. So, I began to build on those understandings in making the case for the largest academic green building in the Southwest. Houston now proudly boasts a hallmark to the possibility of environmentally sound, commercial success in its 190,000 square foot School of Nursing. This building is not only good for health and the environment; it is good for the bottom line.

The commercial viability of the project will continue to prove its benefits over the years through reduced operational and maintenance costs. It is time for stewards of the public’s money and trust to abandon the thinking that there is never enough money to do a thing right the first time. Too many experiences confirm that there is always money to fix the problems on the back end – where the costs are far greater.

That is my philosophy in home building, too. The investment in building – the first costs – pale in comparison to lifetime costs of ongoing maintenance and operation. That is irrefutable.

Advancing Progress, Honoring the Past

There was a time when homes were designed organically – think Frank Lloyd Wright. They were built by craftsmen – think the early California ranch house. They were sited to take advantage of the prevailing climate – think New Mexico’s adobes. And they were built to outlast the mortgage – think the Craftsman bungalows.

Fifty years ago, homes were designed to last and they were built with pride. They were cooled by Nature. And they honored the earth by achieving a minimum of material waste. These principles are as old as architecture itself: how we orient a home on a site, how we place windows to achieve the benefits of natural ventilation and daylight, and what slope of a roof is most efficient, and what is the proper depth of overhang for the region’s climate.

At one time the home builder performed most of the tasks of building with his own well-trained construction crews, with the exception of the electrical and the mechanical trades. His crews set the forms for the foundation, mixed the concrete on site, framed the house, made all the cabinets and millwork on site, installed the hardwood floors, and applied the roofing. They were trained to respect and not waste or abuse the materials; there was virtually no construction waste or damage due to carelessness because the contractor controlled nearly all phases of the construction process. Construction was fast, efficient, and economical. What made this process work were two crucial elements that are virtually non-existent today: well trained, skilled labor and a hands-on home builder who was himself a working participant, supervising the progress day by day.

Fifty years ago, global warming, pollution, deforestation, acid rain, and the poisoning of our earth and water supply were unimaginable. There were no concerns regarding the resources we utilized in the building of our homes; nor were there concerns as to how much energy we used to heat, cool, and sustain our lifestyles. Homes generally were subject to natural disasters, relying primarily on solid building techniques and, perhaps, prayer.

The home building industry needs to advance a new philosophy in home building, by resurrecting time-honored principles that have served us through the decades.

Championing the renaissance of these traditional homebuilding standards was my good friend, renowned architectural designer Roger Rasbach. Recognized by countless publications, honored by his colleagues, and respected by industry leaders worldwide throughout his 50-year career, Roger dedicated his profession to building beautiful, environmentally friendly homes. His brilliant faculty for timeless designs, a sense of scale and place, and home designs that are open, flexible, and functional has served as the inspiration and have fueled the mission of my company, Sustainable Building Solutions.

Heirloom Homes, Built to Last

Traditionally, homebuilders were members of the community in which they practiced their craft. Sustainable Building Solutions revives the Master Builder concept of home building, where the builder directs all aspects of planning, design, and construction while building no more than two or three homes at a time. As a home owner on Dewees Island, I am in the business of building homes for my neighbors.

Our homes reflect my genuine concern for those who will live in them, and attract those with a deep commitment to Island principles and values. The design and construction reflect those principles. And they are beautiful.

Imagine living in a home wamed by winter sun and refreshed by summer breezes. Imagine enjoying ample natural lighting and expansive island views from every room. Imagine a flow of indoor-outdoor living between generous living spaces and inviting porches. Imagine the beauty of a classically casual, free-flowing, and functional design accentuated with tasteful decorative selections and rich reclaimed wood. Imagine the refreshing indoor environment that comes from healthy materials and products. Imagine the security of solid construction from hardy timber wood framing and energy-efficient structural insulated panels, a construction that exceeds code in structural integrity, energy efficiency, safety, and healthfulness. Most of all, imagine a home built to maximize and honor the natural surroundings.

Imagine living in a home built by Sustainable Building Solutions.