The lot was perfect, significantly located at a prominent entry to the City of Portsmouth, overlooking the water and nearby Prescott Park. So when the clients said turn-of-the-century grand city hotels inspired them, we knew the pieces would fall into place seamlessly.

The in-town location meant we would be seeking approval from the City’s Historic District Commission, among others. This board would review the building design for appropriateness within the downtown city fabric. Nary is this process streamline and without a little battle over architectural theory, purpose and intent, but after nearly two years of regular meetings, productive discussions, and voices from various grass roots groups, we achieved successful approval.

The project’s success can be contributed to an honest use of materials: brick, granite, copper, and wood, among others. During the approval process we collaborated with the city to achieve widened sidewalks and the ability to install outdoor patio seating in these spacious pedestrian areas. The style of the building and its details were derived from historic assemblies resulting in heavily corbelled eave lines and soaring chimneys. A more contemporary penthouse structure punctuates the roof.

The design was referred to as “innovative yet respectful.” Its profile was fondly called “animated” and “long awaited.”

We didn’t concede too much on the architectural aesthetic, and those features that evolved from the original sketches you see here are often the ones that most people who followed our process miss and wish they could have seen built. It’s those comments and the design progression we have witnessed over the last 20 years that fuel our inspiration on each new design opportunity at locations like these.

Follow the construction of Parkside beginning Fall 2014, at the base of the Memorial Bridge in Portsmouth.

Visit the dedicated website which shows the building in context and showcases the location and that of the greater Seacoast area at: www.theparksidenh.com.