Stowe, Vermont

Situated on 60 acres on a partially wooded hilltop, this country retreat has striking views to Mt. Mansfield, Vermont’s highest mountain peak. The existing main house which is sited between two ponds, sits aside the upper pond, with a new guesthouse directly adjacent to the lower pond. Both buildings overlook a large meadow foreground, edged by a mature woodland. The owner wanted a unique, contemporary landscape to compliment his art collection while providing spaces for entertaining. The site design focuses on unifying the expansive footprint of the house by creating a series of outdoor rooms. These outdoor rooms are paved in a 24” bluestone grid with buff color stone inlays. The design is composed of viewing and entertaining terraces, a lawn terrace, intimate patios, new pond docks, and a restructured entry sequence and guest parking. There is an emphasis on bold, durable natural materials. The large terrace rooms are organized and defined by walls and stairways of contrasting stone, which create a serial pattern and rhythm in the landscape. The terrace rooms are connected by a low sweeping buffstone wall, which creates an overall grand terrace. This arc wall defines and divides the built and natural environments with the meadow extending from the base of the wall to the woodland edge.

Architect: Wilson Architects