A boutique resort nestles into the natural beauty of rolling hills, clean mountain streams, and fragrant tea farms in this legacy project.

This one-of-a-kind site is the location for a private lakefront resort and will be the focus for a collection of luxury country estates in the future. Envisioned as a legacy project for the developer, it needed to be of the highest quality and a special experience for the guests.

The overall design focused on two main ideas.

First, the architecture needed to compliment the landscape rather than overpower it.  We looked for inspiration in traditional Arts and Crafts style design but with a local vernacular influence. Richly detailed natural stone wraps the resort and nature inspired details are designed and crafted to blend beautifully into the landscape.

Second, the visitor experience needs to be outward looking.  This special landscape should be seen and enjoyed from all rooms. The spaces are divided and woven into the site so maximize the views and connections.  Expansive walls of glass and large outdoor decks which can be fully furnished make living outside as important as the inside.

The program of the resort included a main clubhouse and amenity building with guest rooms and a variety of detached guest villas set in the landscape and on the water’s edge. A sales office serves as the introduction to what will be a very high-end villa community in the surrounding hills.  Our team worked closely with the developer and presented a variety of site options and ideas for supporting activities which we felt made best use of the site.  Together, we were able to set a design vision that guided the project as it progressed.

Rather than one large building for the facility, the resort is imagined as a series of smaller individual buildings, separated by use, that are arranged in the natural setting. This allows for great views and strong outdoor spaces formed by the buildings. An outdoor covered pathway links the different parts of the resort so as visitors move between functions they are connected to nature. The landscape remains the primary experience and value of the project.

The team spent a lot of time setting the direction for the exterior character of the resort.  It needed to be rich and detailed enough to express the quality, but not too formal. Rather than design to fit a specific style, we settled on a unique design language that blended the Arts & Crafts style with local vernacular architecture.  A rough split limestone and a smooth honed limestone in an ashlar pattern create textures that complement each other.  This balance of finely detailed stonework and the rough finishes balanced the need to a luxury experience and its natural setting.