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.

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.

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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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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A Rick Joy–Designed Retreat in the Caribbean Encourages an Easy-Breezy State of Mind