Tanglewood Modern Lenox, MA
Tanglewood Modern Lenox, MA

Berkshires Family Retreat

This modern house is within walking distance of the village of Lenox, MA. It is sited on a gentle, south-facing slope in a forest clearing, surrounded by mature conifers that offer privacy from the abutting properties. The house is designed as four independent pavilions connected together by glass-enclosed halls. By subdividing the house into smaller parts, and then knitting them into the landscape, Flavin created a home deeply connected to nature.

The elegant footprint of this structure allowed our firm the opportunity to shape the roof through a kind of structural origami. It slopes up to the south, catching the summer sun, and the east and west sides flare up as well, resembling a butterfly’s wings. This unique shape allows rainwater to be channeled via scuppers, forming a spectacular waterfall during heavy rains. The runoff is collected in custom concrete cisterns. In a brilliant move, our clients commissioned a stainless steel sculpture over the cistern that comes alive with the dancing water.

Our clients, a couple with adult children and a growing number of grandchildren, wanted a home that could accommodate their extended family year-round, and still maintain a sense of intimacy when they have the house to themselves. The great room pavilion acts as the heart of the home, occupying the center of the ensemble. It is designed to be comfortable either for intimate gatherings or larger parties. Interlocking steel and wood beams soften the acoustics of the room, and large sliding-glass doors open the room to a pool terrace and outdoor sitting area.

open layout great room kitchen living dining with exposed timber ceiling
rear exterior of home with swimming pool
open layout great room kitchen living dining with exposed timber ceiling
four season room with outdoor gas firepit on patio

Colin and all the firm associates are terrific. Communication is regular. Time lines are established. They are patient and flexible. Colin's architectural skills are superb. His creative genius is only surpassed by his warmth and friendly personality. We look forward meetings, as they are productive and fun.
HOMEOWNER

It was just what the couple had in mind—without quite knowing it. “All we knew was that we wanted the inside to come out and the outside to come in,” says the owner. And it does: Most of the backside of the house is floor-to-ceiling glass. The great room has 9-foot-tall sliding glass doors that look out over the expansive backyard and gardens. The four-season sun porch’s stacking glass doors open to a patio, pool, and hot tub. “The sunlight pouring in provides tremendous soul energy,” says the owner.
"HEART & SOL: A MODERN MANSION IN LENOX," BOSTON HOME, 2017
sliding glass doors lead out to swimming pool terrace
rear exterior of home with swimming pool glowing at dusk
swimming pool with cabana at dusk
master bath soaking tub with etched window
exterior corner of modern home with louvered canopy
furnished master bedroom with exterior sliding door
cad drawing floor plan with pool cabana

Credits

General Contractor

Chris May Builders

Landscape Architect

Okerstrom Lang Landscape Architects

Interior Designer

Jane Young Design

Surveyor + Civil Engineer

Foresight Land Services

Structural Engineer

Siegel Associates

Mechanical Engineer

Sun Engineering

Technology Design

Amenitek

Millwork

Poggenpohl Kitchens

Timber Framing

Vermont Timber Works

Photographer

Nat Rea Photography

Awards + Publications

"Ode A La Lumiere Naturelle," Harmonies (Lebanon), 2018

"A Calm-Inducing Home for a Couple and Their Guests," Houzz.com, 2017

"Heart and Sol," Boston Home Magazine, 2017

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