Mill Pond Residence
Lincoln, MA

Dammed in the 1890’s, a wild reservoir sits just beyond this residence, supplying fresh drinking water for the City of Cambridge. Which is to say, in some small way, we knew this land before we arrived. Disconnected, yet connected.

Disconnection and connection: that’s what our client wanted. A space to host both large events, and intimate gatherings, against the backdrop of the dense, tranquil New England forest surrounding his home. Indeed, the trees, like stage curtains, reveal the residence as we approach, a linear glass form cutting through the oak, pine, and groundcover of moss. The house could be easy to miss if you didn’t know it was there, if you weren’t connected to it somehow. 

An existing stone ledge, which juts through the building, became the organizing feature for most of our work. The outdoor kitchen, dining area, and perched spa deck all carved their way into this jagged spine. Beyond, a series of outlying paths snake their way through the grounds, like the tributaries carrying water from this pond to our studio’s faucets. Our work, then, enters into conversation with the rocky outcrop upon which this residence sits, and the water it looks out on.

Collaborators
F Douglas Adams & Associates Architects

Photography  
Charles Mayer