TUNIPUS COMPOUND

A good home can use any of a number of techniques to create a sense of place. At Tunipus Compound in Little Compton, Rhode Island, the landscape—70 acres, much of it meadow, surrounded by water on three sides—sets the scene. Parts of the landscape are defined by elements such as a low concrete wall, which forms a semi-enclosed courtyard linking the guesthouse (a renovated and expanded nincreenth-century cottage) to the garage. Often people realize that a place is special when they are obliged to take a journey through its constituent parts. Here visitors must walk through an open courtyard to reach the house's entrance. Even a journey of a few dozen feet registers on people's consciousness. Peter Bohlin designed Tunipus Compound with broad, uninterrupted slopes of roof that allow the upper portions of the walls to retreat into shadow. Mild colors, undemanding shapes, familiar materials such as cedar shingles, and a semi-protected courtyard all contribute to the sense that this home is a refuge.

What causes Tunipus Compound to rise above the ordinary is the surprises that unfold upon venturing into the house. The interior, though sheltering, is unmistakably modern. The ceiling was peeled away to reveal the joists. The wall practically evaporates around a prominent fireplace framed by views into the landscape beyond. Once a warren of small rooms, the interior now is open and spacious. The crispness of the interior leaves no doubt that this is, after all, a distinctive setting.