The Bathhouse

This bathhouse retreat stands on the grounds of the owners’ Massachusetts farmhouse, a rural riverfront site with views of nearby mountains. Designed with that context in mind, the building also references an eighteenth-century cedar barn on the property—albeit in abstracted, modern form. Sustainably grown cedar boards clad the exterior walls, forming a translucent screen that obscures the doors and clerestory windows, lending a profound simplicity to the simple gabled form. Deliberately left untreated, the wood will weather naturally, blending further with its surroundings. The zinc roof is fitted with solar panels that produce enough hot water to serve not only this building, but the main residence as well.

The interior contains a multifunction lounging and entertainment room with an array of built-in amenities. Its centerpiece is a stone hot tub recessed into the radiant-heated stone floor. A 10-foot-by-10-foot counterbalance door pivots upward to reveal a stunning view of the sky from the hot tub. Integral custom millwork of reclaimed chestnut holds a hidden murphy bed, a recessed sustainable fireplace, a bar, an entertainment center, and built-in seating. A compact bathroom features alabaster walls with a contrasting galaxy schist floor, a spa shower, and a sink carved from a solid block of stone.

NMA’s design interweaves timelessly evocative bathhouse themes with modern amenities, luxurious finishes, and sustainable architectural components.

Photographer: Paul Teeling