Work | Shou Sugi Ban House
Shou Sugi Ban House
Project TeamArchitect: Debbie S. Kropf of DSK Architect PLLC.
General Contractor: RLW 4
Landscape Designer: Studio Lily Kwong in collaboration with Topiaris
Landscape Contractor: Coastal Arbor Care
Landscape Lighting: Orsman Design
Photography: Jeff Heatley Photography, Fredrika Stjarne Photography
Recognition: Conde Nast Traveler’s Reader’s Choice Awards 2023, Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards for Top Destination Spa in the United States
The site was designed as a progression of layers from public to private: the spa in front which is open to the general public, the core activity area in the center, and the overnight Spa Suites in back. The site unfolds as a series of courtyards accessed by a curvilinear path system connecting activity zones with intimate gardens. The arrival sequence, aligned on a large statue of a tranquil Buddha, extends from the Main Spa Building south to Montauk Highway, creating a sense of place as arriving guests pass through a rolling grass meadow inspired by the surrounding area’s dune ecology.
Large boulders left by the former garden center were re-purposed into the design and used as sound attenuating water features, introducing the flow of running water in the landscape.
The retreat area for over-night guests is defined by thirteen mid-century modern beach cottage suites surrounding a central swimming pool and fire feature. Green infrastructure elements include solar panels which offset basic operating electrical usage, reducing the carbon footprint the equivalent of planting 80 acres of trees. Geothermal wells provide heating and cooling for the buildings.
Exterior dark sky compliant LED lighting is controlled by automatic timers which synchronize with the time of day. An organic garden provides the kitchen with herbs and vegetables, and the landscape is maintained with limited chemical inputs. An understanding of site constraints and a clearly articulated vision guided the design team through the various design, permitting, and construction phases.