When Jason Jensen was growing up in St. Petersburg, he spent countless hours skimming along the surfaces of the Boca Ciega Bay and the Intercoastal Waterway.
“This area is truly a boater’s paradise, just minutes from the mouth of Tampa Bay and the beaches,” says the CEO of WJ Architects, the St. Pete design studio he co-founded in 1992.
Those sun-drenched memories inspired him and his wife, Summer, whose family moved to Tampa when she was in elementary school, to bring the water into focus as much as possible when they built their own residence in the city. Jensen’s experiences as a native Floridian combined with his career as an award-winning architect gave him a unique set of tools to achieve the perfect environment for indoor/outdoor living, and his inspiration was drawn from the dogtrot dwellings common throughout Florida and much of the South in the 1800s.
“During Florida summers, breezes [used to] make all the difference,” Jensen explains. “Dogtrot house corridors harness the natural phenomenon known as the Venturi effect, which is when a fluid accelerates due to differences in air pressure and temperature and that creates a breeze even if little exists. It’s an amazing cooling technique that was harnessed by Florida settlers in the 19th century.”
The organization of his home’s footprint also grew out of Jensen’s knowledge of these earlier structures. “When those houses were built, they didn’t have a front or back,” he says. “Most waterfront homes don’t reveal the view until you walk through the entire home, but with mine I wanted the bay to always be on display.”
The openness of the floor plan and the division of public and private sides of the house were also precepts tapped for the home. “If we are having a get-together, we have the central glass sliding doors completely open, so both sides of the house become part of the event,” says Jensen. “As to the separation, the bedrooms are on the side of the home that’s clad with wood for more privacy, while the social rooms are on the side that’s more open and flexible. That central area provides the buffer.”
To create greater overall privacy for daily living, the front yard was landscaped to act as a screen and prevent passersby from peeking in. “Living in the home is like living in a spa,” says Jensen. “It’s extremely permeable and filled with light.”
With three children and a sizeable number of relatives residing within driving distance, the Jensens’ house is often filled to the brim. “Our place has become the main destination for family events like Christmas Eve and birthday parties,” says the architect. “We spend a lot of time outside and in the pool, and the social steps and outdoor living room support that lifestyle. Everyone describes a visit as a mini staycation.”
This statement is a natural outgrowth of the philosophy Jensen brings to his profession. “My firm designs around experiences that reflect how and where one lives,” he explains. “My family loves to read, and we spend countless hours on the large window seat by the dining room, which has become one of our preferred experiences. We all appreciate simplicity, especially when there are amazing water views.”
Story Credits:
Text by Saxon Henry
Photography by Ryan Gamma
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