Enveloped by a lush emerald-green forest, a guesthouse pavilion captures the serenity of nature from its quiet perch on the edge of a pond.
Operating as a family-owned business for three generations, Danish company VIPP is internationally renowned for its diverse design portfolio, which includes furniture, lighting, accessories, kitchens, and bookable guesthouses worldwide. Expanding Vipp’s repertoire, they have collaborated with the leading Los Angeles-based architecture studio, Johnston Marklee, to design its 15th guesthouse in Upstate New York. Founded by Sharon Johnston and Mark Lee, their practice is celebrated for its award-winning projects encompassing galleries, cultural institutions, and residences.
After relocating to New York, third-generation co-owner Sofie Christensen Egelund and her husband spent their weekend retreats Upstate, leading to the idea for their latest project. “Vipp has always sought out ways to create interesting conversations between object and place, situating our products within real, liveable spaces,” Egelund explains.
Nestled among 16 acres of woodland in the small hamlet of Pond Eddy in Lumberland, NY, with neighbouring rivers, streams, and mountains, the 111-square-metre guesthouse offers an exclusive setting for observing nature’s captivating views. Inspired by Adalberto Libera’s rationalist architecture for Villa Malaparte, with its cliffside location on the Isle of Capri, Johnston Marklee conceived the pavilion as a sculptural object. “At first glance, the building resembles a stone on the pond; initially solid, but slowly revealing its volumetric form on the approach,” Johnston describes.
In the dining room, a Vipp custom-designed travertine dining table paired with a bespoke edition Vipp 452 swivel chair.
Pictured is the Vipp 3 annondised aluminium kitchen with Vipp 901 kitchen tap, and on the shelf, accessorised with Vipp 201 espresso cups, Vipp 202 espresso cups, Vipp 203 teacups, Vipp 212 lunch plates, and Vipp 218 large bowls.
Existing as an autonomous primitive structure, the pavilion “masks a sense of scale, form, or function in contrast with the surroundings as it frames and embraces the skies and forest,” Johnston says. Entering through the portals of the monolithic sand walls that stand as a fortress, a curved courtyard
is revealed, where an intimate dance of light and shadow unfolds, framing the open sky above. The mahogany door marks the home’s point of tangency, with two bedrooms concealed behind the curved walls, which afford views of the landscape.
Employing the architectural technique of compression and release, the intimate corridor lined with Sapele leads to an open living area, where expansive apertures reveal scenic woodlands and a pond. In collaboration with Larry Weaner Landscape Associates, a green roof was also designed, featuring skylights to provide additional controlled lighting inside. These views are further enhanced against the backdrop of the interior’s restrained materiality of stucco walls and concrete floors, furnished with Vipp products throughout.
“The abstract form doesn’t prescribe one’s engagement with the space or interior furnishings, rather, each visitor will be able to shape their own experiences. It provides a retreat from the expected and a portal into nature,” Johnston concludes.
The bedroom is illuminated by a Vipp 524 wall spot light.
Featured in the bathroom are the Vipp 982 bath module, Vipp 906 bath tap, Vipp 913 mirror, a pair of Vipp 524 wall lights, and a Vipp 9 soap dispenser.
Featured in the pavilion’s courtyard is a Vipp 551 outdoor wall light.
Pictured in the woodlands is a set of Vipp 710 Lagrasse chairs tucked under the Vipp 719 Open-Air table, accessorised with Vipp 215 bowls, Vipp 218 bowls and Vipp 212 lunch plates.
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