- Status
- Pre-Planning Stage
- Location
- Turtle Tail, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands
- Size
- 3555 sqft GIA
- Specification
- 6 beds, 7 baths
- Visualisations
- Blee Halligan
Casa CliffhangerA House that Exploits the Sloping Site
The road to this site twists, turns and switchbacks on a beautiful journey through hillocks of indigenous Turks and Caicos landscape. Glimpses of salina and sea are caught en route. The site is unique in being the very end-point of this route, where the landscape traversed is captured in panorama.
Our site strategy is informed by topography, sunpath, wind direction and views. At the upper part of the site the contours crank around a rocky outcrop. We have arranged the Main House in a responsive and relaxed manner to work with, not against the lay of the land. Three simple volumes are staggered in plan to nestle sensitively into the landscape whilst capturing the best views of water and hillside terrain.
We have arranged the house in a responsive and relaxed manner to work with, not against the lay of the land.
The masterplan, with Guesthouse and Boathouse below, is arranged in a naturalistic manner. We wanted to create the impression of a hillside village that has grown organically, rather than planned. Each building is designed with consideration to the views of the one above. A switchback pathway hugs the contours to enable level access to each.
We considered how to build efficiently with the existing terrain and also how to optimise the qualities of the sloping site. The pool placement naturally provides a shelf of solid ground. We have anchored this platform into the site in-part, whilst ensuring it creates a foundation for elements to be built that project off the slope, with enhanced, dramatic views.
The 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 master suite is grounded with the pool, whilst guest suites are projected on stilts, like treehouses. The main living spaces straddle and embrace both of these conditions and have the best 180 ĚŠ panoramic views.