Estate Cane Bay St. Croix

A refashioned "Hus af lys" or house of light in Danish is a contemporary residence located on the beautiful North Shore of St. Croix. This modernist design is derived from placing a circular plinth topped with a square volume as the catalyst for this distinct residence. This volume is divided into program zones: 1. an arrival gallery; 2. a main open plan block with living/kitchen & master suite; 3. a circulation bar; and 4. a bedroom suite block.

The geometries superimposed on the trapezoidal site maximize the views toward the Caribbean Sea and Hams Bluff towards the Northwest. These volumes are placed on a circular plinth which allows the residence to pivot specifically to capture stunning views while ensuring varying levels of privacy from adjacent subdivision roads. A large, oversized gallery is created as a typical grand entrance to the residence situated perpendicular to the entry roadway and on the oblique. This residence is designed to allow integrated interior/exterior living which is a trademark of Caribbean living. Large openings and vertical spaces define brightly illuminated interiors while framing lush land and water views. The main living space leads to a circular terrace with an outdoor dining space that leads to a lap pool and jacuzzi set perpendicular to the Caribbean Sea. All bedrooms have beautiful sea views and vary in position ensuring each is unique in feel and atmosphere.

Finishes include a cream limestone gallery veneer wall, stained concrete, and terrazzo floors, smooth white plastered walls, translucent and standing seam roofing panels, and concrete roofs that can support solar panels. Hurricane impact E-glass provides substantial glazing and light while being able to perform during high wind load events.

Even as a contemporary design, the residence's volumes make reference to the large iconic stone structures strewn throughout the Crucian landscape: former vestiges of plantation architecture erected by exceptionally skilled enslaved African craftsmen, at times, left in a ruinous state which grounds this design in the present while still respecting the site's rich cultural past. As a homage, the villa has been named Ile Imole: in Yoruba which means "House of Light".

2023

Site: .625 acres
Main Residence - 3 Bedroom 3.5 Baths: 2,600 s.f.
Carport: 480 s.f.
Cistern: 26,000 gallons

Gerville Larsen, A.I.A. - Architect of Record/Designer