On a peninsula in a secluded bay of Grenada’s southeastern coast sits an unusual structure, which appears to be growing out of the hill below. It is Mount Hartman Bay Estate, but locals call it “Cave House’ – a name well justified when you look at its circular shapes and Gaudi-style-like appearance. This is a new creation of Richard and Rose Lee, who bought an existing house and redesigned it, with much inventive input from Richard’s manager, Peter Robinson. Peter assembled a group of skillful local craftsmen, who succeeded in transforming the existing structure into a piece of organic architecture that blends superbly with its surroundings. “We didn’t want to have any straight lines and flat walls,” comments Peter. “Everything must blend in.” Perhaps the most striking example of such blending design is the roof, which supports a whole array of plants – from cacti and agaves to various kinds of grasses.
The same organically soft-shaped lines, borrowed from nature, are repeated inside. Together with the generous scale of the building, they create a feeling of refined spaciousness, which is further enhanced by the choice of natural materials and exquisite woodwork. An interior waterfall, running from the living room along the main staircase, is another very tangible link with the natural environment. Although the main work on the house is long finished, there are new structures still to be built on the grounds and new improvements to be made. Change and challenge are not only a means to achieve a desired result, but they also constitute a way of life for this visionary owner and his team.
The view from the main dock at the folly in the shape o f a tower and the house looming behind is absolutely splendid.
One o f the bathrooms features a futuristic-looking shower cabin, with suitably corresponding modern fixtures . You can also see here one o f the small, rounded windows, which looks just as strikingly unique from inside, as it does from outside.
Fully planted roofs and rounded shapes o f windows and doors are the reason why this place is compared by some to a Hobbit’s House.
Big windows protect the living room from wind and rain and let you admire the view at the bay and scintillating Caribbean Sea.
