As a volcanic island, Saint Kitts has surprisingly varied terrain. Some regions within the 68-square-mile Caribbean locale are lush with tropical plants. Others are more arid, with large boulders forming rocky outcroppings whose elevation provides spectacular views of the sea and surroundings. At the site of one of those natural hills, New York City–based studio Architecture in Formation designed a 7,000-square-foot villa that not only takes advantage of its topography but is constructed with the rock that forms it.
“We thought about that quote by Frank Lloyd Wright that you never build at the top of the mountain, you build into it,” said architect Matthew Bremer, the founder of Architecture in Formation and 2023 president of AIA New York. “We wanted the house to really feel of this very particular place.” Thus, its 3-story massing is shaped by the land, appearing to grow from it rather than sit above it—an effort that required quite a bit of excavation. After 12 months of digging just to set the foundations, the construction team amassed a large collection of volcanic rocks. Some of these locally hewn stones remained on site and now clad the home’s lower-level facade, also making appearances on feature walls inside the three guest-suite bathroom showers as well as around the primary bedroom’s headboard. A trio of the site’s larger boulders flanks the living room sofa and marks a small level change, while others create retaining walls for the landscaping.
Beyond these homegrown accents, the villa’s interior materiality is kept “bone simple,” said Bremer. Like many homes in parts of the world where hurricanes can occur seasonally, the walls are locally made structural concrete or cinder block, finished with an integral color plaster in a neutral shade. Mahogany-framed Duratherm windows and a custom front door add moments of luxurious contrast, as does the central stair with white oak risers and a tensile rope railing. All the furnishings are bespoke, built in light-hued white oak to extend the serene scheme.
Used as a family getaway as well as a company retreat for members of the homeowner’s large New York City–based commercial construction firm, the villa is built around gathering, relaxing, and entertaining. Common areas include a dining table that can seat 12, a media room frequently used for after-dinner mah jong and card games, and a large pool deck with an outdoor kitchen. With pleasantly warm weather year-round in Saint Kitts, indoor-outdoor living is encouraged, and each room in the house has access to a terrace, most of them sun-shaded so that vistas can be enjoyed while one is protected from harsh rays. From its perch, the home certainly has some unbeatable views, which the architect framed strategically. “You get a view that is radically different every way you turn your head,” explained Bremer. “The Atlantic Ocean to the east, the Caribbean Sea to the west, the capital in the valley below, [the sister island] Nevis to the south, the dormant volcano Mount Liamuiga, and on a clear day [one can even see] north to Saint Martin and Sint Maarten.”
The best view, of course, is saved for the primary suite, which occupies the entire top floor and has a private roof deck with a 360-degree vantage point. This family-only zone remains peaceful even when visitors are wandering throughout the grounds. Its placement within the floorplan allows total separation from the common spaces and the detached guest wing, the latter of which is dug into the hillside berm overlooking the pool.
When a group does want to come together, the modest living room lounge with its built-in wet bar is a popular spot. “We call it the ‘five o’clock place,’” joked Bremer. “Actually, there are a lot of five o’clock places in the house. You can’t go wrong.”