The House of Four Gardens looks like something out of a dream. Conceptualized by Marc Thorpe Designs, the project was planned for a riverside outside of Savannah, Georgia. It features elegant concrete vaults on a monumental pedestal over the water. The dramatic concrete structural elements are surrounded by lush plant life that includes perennial ferns and oaks that are well known to Savannah. There are no plans to build House of Four Gardens, but visualization by Truetopia helps us envision what it might be like.
Though it is certainly beautiful for aesthetics alone, the project holds a much deeper conceptual meaning based on the work of philosopher David E. Cooper. It seeks to understand the relationship between man and nature. “The House of Four Gardens is a seminal work for the studio,” Thorpe describes. “The work embodies the cultivated awareness one earns through the trials of life. The house represents one’s resilience in the face of adversity and a respect for ourselves in harmony with nature. The house is truth as art, an expression of the human spirit in splendor and imperfection.”
The four gardens mentioned in the project’s name help to connect its interior and exterior spaces. They are placed between the 30 concrete vaults on a 144-square-foot grid. One garden is part of an inner courtyard while the remaining three green areas look out to the water. The gardens also act as a way to introduce botanicals into the home, blurring the line between what's manmade and nature.
Living spaces in the project are still fully submerged in nature because of floor-to-ceiling glass partitions which enclose each concrete vault. Even the bathroom and bedroom are fully lit with natural light as to not separate the inhabitants from nature. Thorpe believes that this material decision helped to preserve the intent of the project.
Keep scrolling to find more photos of the serene riverside complex that explores the relationship between man and nature.
House of Four Gardens is a conceptual house designed with elegant concrete vaults for this Savannah, Georgia riverbank.
The project is an architectural study of humans' relationship with the natural world.
