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Sail Away Home to Pride’s Rest

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This house on the island of St Croix was inspired by the client’s love of sailing. Perched on land at the edge of the sea, Pride’s Rest looks as if a strong gust of wind could billow up what looks like its sail and it would just sail off, into the bright blue yonder of the US Virgin Islands.

Lindsay Brown Studio was the perfect choice for the house. Their other work – in particular, the revitalization project for the San Diego waterfront – shares the billowing curves of this radial plan…

Here the coastal edge of the hillside overlooks a small cove created by the wind and tides, echoing the radius plan.

But St Croix is in the path of hurricanes, so the design is also practical. The house must withstand the worst hurricane-force winds and storm surges.

The low hugging roof on the seaward side prevents the wind from catching it from underneath and flipping it up and away.

The house is nearly off-grid with its own energy production and water treatment. It is semi sunk into the hillside, to lower energy use.

Regardless of seasonal swings, a geothermal ground heat exchange naturally moderates the water temperatures in this cooling water feature, which becomes a lap pool beyond the stepping stones.

A house like this is independent, adaptable and self reliant – like a sailor is.