Johnston Marklee Completes Curving Vipp Pavilion in Upstate NY Forest

The article highlights how Johnston Marklee completed a compact 1,000-square-foot Vipp Pavilion tucked into a forested site in Upstate New York. The design pairs sculptural form and natural light, allowing the pavilion to read as a discreet object within its landscape.

Set at the edge of a pond and framed by dense woods, the pavilion translates water and woodland into geometry and material tactility. The restrained interior invites views of the meadow and water from every angle.

Design Concept and Site Context

Designed to respond to a pastoral meadow and a still pond, the pavilion sits among mature trees and shifting seasonal light. The project uses two tangent ellipses that mirror the contours of the adjacent water, creating a sculpture-like volume in the landscape.

Material and form highlight the countryside setting, resulting in a calm, contemplative retreat.

Architectural Form: Tangent Ellipses

The pavilion’s plan is defined by two tangent ellipses, creating a curvilinear, monospace volume that seems to emerge from the site. The entry sequence features a curved courtyard that brings visitors into a central skylit space.

Light pours through openings and moves across concrete floors and textured walls. The curved geometry frames views toward the pond and meadow, supporting a seamless connection between indoors and outdoors.

• Two tangent ellipses form the primary plan, echoing the pond’s fluid edge.
• Entry is organized around a curved courtyard that leads to a skylit core.
• Floor-to-ceiling glazing frames long views of water and grass beyond.
• The form sits quietly among trees, reading as a sculptural object within the landscape.

Interior Experience and Materiality

Inside, the pavilion opens to a central space with a skylight that fills the concrete floors and textured walls with daylight. Two bedrooms are embedded within the curved plan, each oriented to frame garden vistas through large mahogany-framed windows.

The interior layout offers intimate, human-scale spaces with expansive views, reinforcing a strong sense of connection to the landscape.

Material Palette and Craft

The material palette is restrained and tactile, combining sapele wood, travertine, and select soft furnishings. Smooth and ribbed stucco enhance the pavilion’s sculptural quality while providing a quiet, tactile surface.

This mix of durable, high-quality materials creates a refined, timeless aesthetic suitable for a small, contemplative dwelling.

Landscape Strategy and Planting

A green roof and Larry Weaner Landscape Associates native plantings help integrate the pavilion into the meadow. The landscape design allows for a seamless transition from building to natural ground, ensuring ecological compatibility and resilience.

The planting approach highlights the structure’s silhouette and supports biodiversity and seasonal beauty throughout the year.

Ecology, Sustainability, and Site Integration

The project aligns sculptural form, material tactility, and ecological mindfulness. By using native landscapes and a green roof, the design reduces maintenance and encourages a sustainable relationship with the rural setting.

Deliberate glazing, wood, and stone enable a light touch on the land while creating an immersive experience for visitors and occupants.

Architecture that Mediates Light, Form, and Field

In its compact footprint and carefully chosen materials, the Vipp Pavilion shows how Johnston Marklee responds to a site’s ecology and topography. The design takes cues from the landscape to create a sculptural form that fits its context.

Using tangent-ellipse geometry and a curved entry, the pavilion creates a gentle transition into its setting. The simple material palette allows the building to blend with the forest, pond, and meadow.

This approach shapes a refined retreat in Upstate New York. The architecture feels both like an object and a part of the landscape.

 
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