ASLA 2003 Design Honor Award

Hither Lane, East Hampton, New York
Landscape Architect: Reed Hilderbrand Associates, Incorporated, Watertown, MA
Owner/Client: Patsy and Jeff Tarr

The Hither Lane residence design gives contemporary expression to the villeggiatura tradition, creating a restorative retreat setting while allowing for a full modern family life. The eleven-acre property is draped with mature vegetation dating back to 1898, and includes a romantic vista of hills, a small valley and a plateau, the three principal features that guided the design of the property. The modern compound of buildings and garden courts crowns the plateau along the east edge of the site, guarding the interior of the property’s open expanse of land and sky. Set on a plinth, the residential buildings were designed to embrace panoramic views of the valley and reshaped hill while also providing an inward focus onto enclosed courts. Similarly the pool complex frames the pool house, walls, hedge, and stainless steel fence providing the most expansive view of the entire property across the hill. The rational order and restrained character of the house, its garden courts, and the outlying pool area strike a very marked contrast with the romantic character of the property. The design of Hither Lane is an excellent example of a seamless collaborative effort among landscape architect, architect, and owner.