Carol Kurth, FAIA, and her talented team design Five Star House as an assemblage of buildings, articulated yet connected to one another architecturally. The different volumes express the functionality of the elements within. A unifying barn style structure contains the main living spaces of the home, while adjunct structures contain the elements of a ‘hotel at home’, hence the ‘five star’ designation. These amenities, indoor pool/spa area, indoor basketball/sports court, exercise area, guest suite and separate stone building for additional garage space reflect the owners lifestyle and passion for wellness, health and tranquility for themselves and their family.

Natural materials such as indigenous fieldstone, barn siding and cedar shakes, implemented in a manner to enhance the identity of each structure, furthers the concept of a village of buildings as part of the whole. The house is linked together with a two story stone wall that is expressed on the interior and exterior to create an interplay between the inside and outside. The landscape echoes the concept and is created as an ‘exterior room’ defined by trees and plantings.

The interior was designed in a serene minimalist modern sensibility throughout, in keeping with a feeling of serenity. An interior gallery style axis along the expressed stone wall serves as a circulation spine creating the flow of spaces within. Cupolas and expressed stair elements, reminiscent of barns, add illumination to the interiors. ‘The Gym’ structure, partially recessed underground, benefits from added illumination via clerestory windows. A retractable roof and series of glass doors along with a flow of materials from interior to exterior, adds to the feeling an indoor/outdoor environment at the pool area.