Aquidneck Island Residence
Middletown, RI

Created for a devoted art-lover, the Aquidneck Island Residence offers three distinct “journeys.” A two-hundred-and-fifty-foot stormwater garden forms the “water journey” and social spine of the property, connecting the house and cottage. This living tapestry serves as one large-scale art piece, bringing color, wildlife, and a celebration of water into the heart of the site. Green roofs also contribute to stormwater management and blur the line between the meadows in the landscape and the upper living spaces of the main house. The “meadow journey” begins at the entry drive and passes through the open breezeway of the house, revealing layers of released and newly-planted native meadow, play lawn, drifts of silvery perennials, and the open views of the pool and ocean beyond. Lastly, the “woodland journey” takes visitors through a series of woodland rooms at the western perimeter of the site, where native plantings are layered with carefully-curated sculptural trees and scented shrubs. The Aquidneck Island residence integrates these journeys to create a lush, varied, and sustainable landscape.

Collaborators
Stern McCafferty Architects

Photography
Anthony Crusifilli