Little Compton, RI
This fourteen acre property in Little Compton, RI is the site of a 19th-century barn and a historic residence dating to the 1920’s. Built in the same vernacular as the sea captain houses of this coastal community, the project involved the restoration of the historic home, a barn, guest house, pool and pool house. The landscape was full of remnants--old walls and mature vegetation--that was integrated carefully into a holistic landscape master plan that carefully folded the new landscape in with the old.
First generation reclaimed granite curbing is dotted around the site as stepping stones, pathways, lawn treads, and terraces, reinterpreting vestiges of what might have been original building footprints. The pool is reminiscent of mineral springs of Virginia, where the Owner grew up, while the spa was designed as a simple watering trough for livestock, a nod to the agricultural origins of the area.
The gardens are quiet with hedges and walls defining outdoor rooms and grade changes. A vast meadow was re-established at the front of the property with heirloom apple trees planted, as the antithesis of the conventional lawn. The site is a celebration of history, ecology and a reminder of simplicity and the importance of establishing a sense of place.
Recognition
Boston Society of Landscape Architects | Merit Award for Design 2020
Collaborators
Estes Twombly Architects
Photography
Ngoc Doan