Caretaker's Cottage

Unit price per

As its name suggests, the Caretaker’s Cottage was once home to the family that oversaw the maintenance of the property. The small brick building stands near to the Midland entrance, where it watches the growth of the nascent village garden. The building’s brick structure is beautifully crafted and in good condition. Its roof, and adjacent shed, however, are nearing their ends.

The Cottage’s proximity to the village garden and the Midland entrance, as well as its history as the site’s steward, makes it uniquely suited to serve as the home for the preserve’s center for ecology.


Using the brick structure as a shell, the simple addition of a glass roof creates an unexpected greenhouse.

The outside demonstrates the simple but surprising potential of building reinvention. A small brick house becomes an innovative winter garden.

The interior provides spaces for ecological and community programming, including the winter garden, workshops, meetings, and classes.