Architecture in Formation designs Saint Kitts villa built into volcanic hillside
New York City–based studio Architecture in Formation has completed a 7,000-square-foot villa on Saint Kitts that is built into a volcanic hillside, using locally quarried rock for its construction. The three-story massing appears to grow from the land rather than sit atop it, requiring 12 months of excavation. Volcanic stones from the site clad the lower-level facade, appear in bathroom showers, and surround the primary bedroom's headboard. Larger boulders flank the living room sofa and create retaining walls. Architect Matthew Bremer, founder of the studio and 2023 president of AIA New York, cited Frank Lloyd Wright's principle of building into the mountain rather than on top of it.
Key facts
- Architecture in Formation designed a 7,000-square-foot villa on Saint Kitts.
- The villa is built into a volcanic hillside, taking design cues from the site.
- Excavation took 12 months to set foundations.
- Locally hewn volcanic rocks clad the lower-level facade and interior features.
- Three larger boulders from the site flank the living room sofa.
- Matthew Bremer is the founder of Architecture in Formation and 2023 president of AIA New York.
- Bremer cited Frank Lloyd Wright's quote about building into the mountain.
- Saint Kitts is a 68-square-mile volcanic island with varied terrain.
Entities
Artists
- Matthew Bremer
- Frank Lloyd Wright
Institutions
- Architecture in Formation
- AIA New York
Locations
- Saint Kitts
- New York City