The Sanctuary is a private collection of homes in the heart of Turks & Caicos. A residential community that offers a quiet retreat in an ever-popular destination. Combining sensitive lakefront architecture with responsive building technology. The Sanctuary provides a gentle, yet modern approach to life on the islands. Located on a peninsula overlooking Flamingo Lake, this is a unique natural habitat. Inspired by the panoramic beauty and serene atmosphere of the lake, we have devised a unique and innovative villa development, that is harmonious with the undulating terrain, natural textures and earthy tones of the site. 

We wanted to create homes that have a strong sense of belonging to the peninsula. Each villa is carefully tailored to fit with topography, optimise views, capture breeze and provide space for enjoyment of the sun and shade. The three and four bedroom Lakehouses each have over 125’ of parcel frontage. The Lakehouses seek to unify a beautiful setting with a progressive lifestyle. With interchangeable layout options, including unique integrated workspaces, residents can choose a home that better suits their work, or leisure, needs. 

Set over two floors, these three and four bedroom properties have been carefully designed to allow outdoor living throughout the day, with a series of interconnected shaded terraces. Interior spaces are principally orientated to the main pool and the waters beyond.

Atrium House is located on the south side of Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands. Here the land is just 3’ above sea level and can be vulnerable to flooding during hurricane storm surges.

The terrain is pitted ironshore, with highly resilient flora that survives in small pockets and cracks in the rocks. It is a robust and beautiful landscape to the trained eye. The sheltered bay also features islets that dot the horizon, that are nesting spots for unique marine birdlife.

Our clients’ brief was for a single storey house that embraced the natural landscape. They wanted to maximise external living and minimize the scale of bathrooms and bedrooms. Their aesthetic desire was described as ‘natural and earthy’ and ‘nordic meets Caribbean’.

We have designed a house that is raised 10’ above the landscape and with landscape at its heart. The internal accommodation is contained in a living/kitchen/dining wing to the east and a bedroom wing to the west. These are separated by a 33’ x 33’ atrium garden. A guest bunk-room and pool plug in from the north and south.

Covered verandahs wrap all four external sides under ‘stretched’ pitched roofs. The internal atrium also has a covered verandahs under flat roofs that provide differing degrees of shade. The natural terrain and plant life will be left untouched where possible beneath this raised volume. Underneath we have located a laundry, garden store, paddleboard store and water tank.

Our intent has been to touch the earth as lightly as possible. We have also sought to design a home that can harness natural breezes (through and under) and provide for good solar protection over and above using air-conditioning. It is hoped too that plant and animal life will continue to nest under and be at the heart of the home, forming a tranquil island get-away for the owners and their guests.

In the UK, we have also been awarded an RIBA East Midlands Regional Award, whilst our client was also awarded the RIBA East Midlands Client of the Year Award. The house has now moved on to the shortlist for an RIBA National Award and RIBA House of the Year 2022.

Cut into an elliptical form, the structure then nestles neatly adjacent to an existing arcing driveway. The shading structure is set onto an elliptical base which creates an arced and slightly stepped amphitheatre for sitting either on cushioned loungers or on a cast bench. There is space for additional seating for larger gatherings as well as a drinks fridge and storage for tennis equipment.

The dia-grid ‘waffle’ structure is braced by an arced rear retaining wall which together aim to provide a better resilience under hurricane force winds than a free-standing rectilinear form. The pavilion will sit aloft a native planting scheme and be illuminated at night - forming an elegant and dynamic focal point on entry to the property. The timber structure has been made by TC Millwork and the base by EY Contractors.

The Sanctuary provides a gentle, yet modern approach to life on the islands. Located on a peninsula overlooking Flamingo Lake, this is a unique natural habitat. Inspired by the panoramic beauty and serene atmosphere of the lake, we have devised a unique and innovative villa development, that is harmonious with the undulating terrain, natural textures and earthy tones of the site. We wanted to create homes that have a strong sense of belonging to the peninsula. Each villa is carefully tailored to fit with topography, optimise views, capture breeze and provide space for enjoyment of the sun and shade.

The Lakehouses hug the shore of the peninsula, giving access to a promontory of unique amenities. The three and four bedroom Lakehouses each have over 125’ of parcel frontage. As well as accommodating the main residences, the low density site provides opportunities for ancillary building options. The Lakehouses seek to unify a beautiful setting with a progressive lifestyle. With interchangeable layout options, including unique integrated workspaces, residents can choose a home that better suits their work, or leisure, needs. Set over two floors, these three and four bedroom properties have been carefully designed to allow outdoor living throughout the day, with a series of interconnected shaded terraces. Interior spaces are principally orientated to the main pool and the waters beyond. The Lakehouses offer a sustainable and enduring property; a timeless waterfront architecture.

www.thesanctuary.tc

Rudolph’s groundbreaking home designs such as ‘The Cocoon House’ and ‘Umbrella House’ demonstrate the unrivalled possibilities of mid-century America’s optimism for forward-thinking design in the natural peripheries of its booming postwar cities. Lundy’s designs chose to eschew the trend for hidden flat roofs with soaring, exposed and amplified curved forms that pushed structural limits to the forefront of his designs. A common thread through both architects’ works was that of an experimentation with wall and roof forms to mediate the strong tropical sun, manage the deluges of tropical rain and capture the Gulf Coast’s precious breezes. They each designed buildings prior to the dawn of air-conditioning that were expertly adapted to suit the region’s sub-tropical climate, whilst at the same time connect elegantly with its gracious landscapes.

We have organised the primary accommodation into three front-to-back glazed ‘bays’, which allows for unencumbered cross ventilation using pocket sliders to open up the building entirely. These living spaces are held between two large-format hardwood-clad ‘spines’ - which contain the circulation spaces and the secondary accommodation of bathrooms, storage and vertical service risers. The house is due to be complete by Christmas 2021.

The two houses have been designed as a unique and distinct enclave at the end of a quiet residential lane - a cohesive pair, with subtle differentiators. Each home is comprised of two low-slung, linear wings that step to form ‘S-shaped’ plans. The two homes nestle together in a relaxed manner along two canal frontages - jostling side-by-side like boats tethered loosely at dock.

Both are topped by over-sized and over-sailing roof planes, rendered in concrete. The larger house uses its large roof slab to conceal a pitched roof, whilst the smaller house tilts its slabs to create mono-pitch volumes internally - pitched roofs were a stipulation of local planning for the area.

They are both predominantly single storey, but the larger house (on the corner site of two canal systems), has a small upper level that acts as a ‘crows-nest’ for the master bedroom that captures panoramic views and glimpses of the sea. Both share a strong, robust and elemental language of thick slabs held up above a simple, laconic rhythm of solid white blocks and apertures of glass.

The villas will be viewed ‘in the round’. Conceptually, we began by considering the project as a group of pavilions, set within lush tropical landscaping. We took inspiration from some of the historic Bajan vernacular homes, which have deep set windows and large overhanging roofs, protecting the interiors from direct sunlight.

These villas have a rigorous contemporary upper level with a large overhanging roof, providing solar shading to the bedrooms and also deep, shaded, wraparound balconies. This upper floor has a rigorous, graphic internal layout. Large and dramatic rooms with full height windows capture 180 degree vistas of the ocean and the protected national parks of Little Water Cay and Mangrove Cay.

We imagined the ground floor plan as fingers of accommodation pushing out into the landscape, where outdoor spaces are just as important as the internal environment. This fluid plan sits under the body of the upper floor, which cantilevers over it to create pockets of highly functional outdoor living space - protecting the inhabitants from the the sun and also the bad weather.

www.emerald-estate.com

We also wanted to ensure that the house appeared as a modest beach home, despite its large size and achieving three storeys of accommodation.

The landscape flows under the house on all sides to a lower ground level of +5’ above sea level. The driveway sweeps underneath the house for arrival by car. Guest arrival is via a long concrete ramp though a richly vegetated landscape. A dramatic entry sequence that also ensures that the main living level remains connected to the front garden.

The Level 1 volume is formed of horizontal board marked concrete with colourations in the concrete echoing that of the sand on the beach itself. We have surrounded the upper volume in a green roof, so that the experience of the Grand Master would be similar to that of being at beach level - with wrap-around terraces meeting a dune grass landscape, visually extending to the sea. The Level 2 volume is clad in vertical timber and reads as a simple ‘pavilion’ on the roof.

Each design is borne from the microgeographies present on the site and conceived for those with an adventurous spirit and passion for the ocean. Each house typology has a unique relationship with the water and the land; the Banks and Shoal Villas are sited on a rugged ironshore coastline and have dramatic swimming pools that allow residents to swim out to a cliff edge.

The Dune Villas hunker a three storey villa behind the dune apex and nestle organically shaped pools into the dune hollows. A man-made lagoon with beach has been created at the centre of the scheme which allows a calmer enjoyment of the water for our Lagoon Houses. These sit raised above a sandy shore at the water’s edge and are inspired by the perched positioning of Malibu beach houses. The Boathouses have individual boat docks fronting a marina and are clustered around a central shady community park with a shared swimming pool.

Infrastructure works project broke ground in Summer 2019 and our first 2 villas commence in Spring 2020. www.livesouthbank.com

The building is tailored to the site topography and sits effortlessly in the natural environment. The design responds to the protected primary dune system, by positioning courtyard bedrooms behind the dune with kitchen, living and bedroom areas facing the leeward side.

A number of sheltered outdoor spaces within staggered, groyne-like walls, offer protection from the wind and sun whilst also framing wide views out to sea. Inspired by the porous coral rock formations found along the bay, ‘pockets’ of indoor and outdoor living space overlap in and around the stacked monolithic walls and roof planes that characterise its stepped and tiered form.

The property has been named ‘UXUE Villa’ by our clients and is available for rent through TKCA Vacation Rentals: www.tkcavacationrentals.com/vacation-rentals/uxue-villa-turks-caicos/

Five house typologies inspired by the specific topography and geology of the rugged natural terrain have been developed: Boathouses, Lagoon Villas, Shoal Villas, Bank Villas & Dune Villas. These are complemented by new waterside landscapes and park areas along with a new marina-fronting apartment block and communal clubhouse. The project is starting on site in April 2019.

The house will provide respite from the winds whilst also framing wide views out to sea and will be an ideal location for kite-board enthusiasts who want to enjoy the perfect boarding conditions of Long Bay beach. Construction is proceeding at a good pace and is due for completion in Autumn 2019.

The design responds to the protected primary dune system, by positioning courtyard bedrooms behind the dune with kitchen, living and bedroom areas facing the leeward side. A number of sheltered outdoor spaces within staggered, groyne-like walls, offer protection from the wind and sun whilst also framing wide views out to sea. Inspired by the porous coral rock formations found along the bay, ‘pockets’ of indoor living space overlap in and around the stacked monolithic wall and roof planes that characterise its stepped and tiered form. Construction is due to start in early October 2018.

What is most surprising, and pleasing given the standard of workmanship, is that the project has largely been a self-build. The owners not only installed the cedar shingle cladding themselves, but completed most of the joinery and decoration. The scale and budget might be modest, but this imaginative building punches well above its weight".

The canal enables the scheme's inhabitants to gain direct water-based access to the Leeward Channel and out towards the protected nature reserve of Mangrove Cay. The first four owners on the site have enjoyed their Christmas paddle-boarding, jet-skiing and sailing out into the channel and beautiful island chains beyond.

The working title, ’Casa Cliffhanger’ reminded us of the dual brief for a solid, homely space to live (Casa), combined with an element of daring modernity which exploits the natural assets of the site (Cliffhanger). The main entertaining spaces, terraces and pools will straddle and embrace both of these living conditions and capture the best of the site's 180 ̊ panoramic views. 

The judges were very positive about the project and particularly enjoyed the gallery space - our super-sized plywood lined hallway that will showcase the work of local artists. The winner will be announced at the awards dinner on 7th December at the Grosvenor House Hotel, London.

This project was part self-build, and is a testament to the determination of our clients, Bruce and David, who worked with endless good humour to finish the project to an incredibly high standard. They even made the sofa seat cushions and curtains at the point in the project when most of us would have just gone online and done an Ikea order! We are confident that Five Acre Barn is going to be a great success and we are delighted to have made a contribution to the burgeoning local contemporary architecture scene in Suffolk. For reservations go to: www.fiveacrebarn.co.uk

Any construction must try to leave the ground untouched where possible whilst providing space in which to enjoy the setting and optimise the views. The concept of a delicate cabin sitting above the terrain is enticing, yet the negatives of timber construction in the saline environment and the prospect of hurricanes lead us to think differently, whilst trying to attain the qualities of a cabin ‘held aloft’. 

We have proposed a concept of a ‘cradle’ of stone walls that hold a lighter structure within. The walls could be the only thing bearing on the ground with the slabs spanning between them. This structural solution is in some way like the sink-holes that delicately cradle loose plant-matter inthe crevices of the site. The roof appears to float above the stone walls and is slightly depressed in a ‘butterfly-roof’ formation to enhance the experience of the interiors opening-up toward the panoramic views. The same strategy is applied to the plan - with the ‘pinch’ at the centre of the east-facing facade amplifying the experience of entering and then being drawn to the landscape views. This solution was also adopted to reduce the apparent size of the building by it receding in scale at the middle from a number of key views.