A Rick Joy–Designed Retreat in the Caribbean Encourages an Easy-Breezy State of Mind
Located near the Southwest coast of the Providenciales, an island in the Turks and Caicos archipelago, Le Cabanon is a family retreat designed by Arizona–based Rick Joy Architects.
Joy, a talented desert modernist, has a reputation for heightening the unique qualities of his projects' locations, and Le Cabanon is no exception. Appearing to organically grow from the coastline, its subtly textured concrete form contrasts the brilliant turquoise shade of the surrounding sea much like the white sand that lines the shallow inlet's coastline.
The home features a long, slender volume that shields the rest of the residence from the noise and movement on the adjacent street.
A generously sized terrace also serves as a link between the private living areas to the west and a living/dining/kitchen pavilion to the east. From the interior, these spaces feel secluded and protected, so much so that the ocean views from the pavilion seem entirely exclusive.
Taking visual cues from the lush surroundings—which also includes iron shore rock and verdant native vegetation—the architects have produced tactile links between the building and its tropical site.
Mahogany doors, windows, and ceilings beautifully capture the warmth of the surroundings, and thanks to small, precisely-placed openings in the interior, the perfect amount of light and greenery is filtered inside.
The entire house is full of immersive moments. From the corridors, the concrete walls create shallow view-angles that reveal glimpses of each subsequent space and simultaneously frame the bright blue sky above.
Constructed by local builders trained by the construction team, the walls used throughout the home have been locally sourced in order to minimize the need of importing building materials.
In a similar environmentally-conscious spirit, the architects also placed a large cistern beneath the main terrace to harvest water, and topped the flat sections of the roof with photovoltaic panels.
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Even the bedrooms integrate the outdoor spaces into the design. Here, a guest room opens to a small terrace.
A pendant lights hang like flower buds from the ceiling, and long fronds peek in from the adjacent rock-bottomed gardens.
Outside, a shallow pool divides the coastline from the adjoining terrace, bringing the expanse of ocean water closer to the home's living spaces.
The asymmetric single-hip roof captures a generous interior space, and an operable triangular window at its leeward tip creates gentle airflow. This supplements the deliberately designed cross-breezes that negate the need for air conditioning.
Project Credits:
Architect of Record: Rick Joy Architects
Builder/General Contractor: Norstar Group
Structural Engineer: Harris Structural Engineering
Landscape Design: Barbara Underwood Landscaping
Lighting Design: CLL Concept Lighting Lab LLC
Concrete: Reg Hough
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