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P R O F I L E | F O R E S T P O N D H O U S E
B
uilt at the base of the family garden,
Forest Pond House is a composition of
both form and feeling—a modern cabin
fashioned for clarity, located in a complex
environment. "The [kids'] den felt like it needed
to be a secretive, secluded space in the woods,
whereas the break in the forest and tranquility
that the pond presents was a natural moment
for the meditation space," notes Lewith. To that
end, the rear of the structure, with low ceilings
tucked among bushes and trees, hosts the den.
As one moves through the curve of the building,
Lewith notes, the "meditation spot opens up;
the floor drops and the ceiling rises to create a
tall portrait window and seat cantilevering over
the water." It is a window into a world of both
rare and real beauty, and architectural purity.
To integrate play into the space, TDO treated
two walls with blackboard paint to create what
Lewith describes as "a drawing backdrop in
the woods." Next to this feature, the entrance
presents one with the chance to run in and out
of the building in spontaneous exuberance.
Meanwhile, Lewith notes, "Views across the
pond connect [the building] to the rest of the
woods. It's a space for the imagination to run
free." The large portrait window frames the
picturesque scene and "deliberately crops
peripheral vision, creating a space for calm
and focus," adds Lewith. Because it does,
the meditation area fosters the opposite
reaction—a break, literally and figuratively,
from the rural Hampshire landscape. Minimum
fittings—a single source of light and a water-
facing bench—amplify this effect.
"Views across
the pond
connect [the
building] to
the rest of the
woods. It's a
space for the
imagination to
run free."
TDO looked to the forest to shape the structure,
which, staked between woods and the water,
toggles in atmospheric and aesthetic quality, with
one end an immersion in the lush, dark drama
of foliage and the other an engagement in the
brightness of pond water beyond. Similarly, the
design goes in dual directions. Black, angled
sides are meant to address the forest, while light
surfaces and sheet glass reference the water. The
building is, therefore, a response to the natural
environment of which it is part, if not its echo.
While not a big build—and all the more beautiful
for its discipline and restraint—Forest Pond
House is of a larger, thoughtful dimension. An
example of form and function merged to create a
state of constant and remarkable wonder.
tdoarchitecture.com
