ca. 1803
Kiawah Island, South Carolina

As the only remaining historic building on Kiawah Island, the 1903 Vanderhorst Mansion was one of the two original plantation houses on the island. Vacant for most of the 20th century, this structure has been used as a barn to store hay, it had lost its piazza, and had its main stair balustrade stolen. Work on this house included a sensitive rehabilitation of the main house and the addition of modern compatible corner pavilions on the rear, housing the new bathrooms, kitchen, and mechanical equipment. These pavilions allow the introduction of modern conveniences with minimal intrusion on the historic fabric of the original structure. Completed in 1995, the house and grounds represent a successful adaptation for the modern use that preserves the integrity of the historic structure.