The Froggery – the Untold Story John Blin October 26 2015 Froggery: a gathering of frogs; frogs collectively, 1785; A place in which frogs are kept for
breeding or (in later use) as pets.
Act 1 A unique private retreat – if you can reach it. For nearly all its history, 180 Abrams Mountain Road bore no name and no number. It didn’t exist. Only the mountain. Just like Cadillac Mountain twenty miles north on Mount Desert Island. In 1610 when Samuel de Champlain first landed on “Longue Isle” as he christened it (“Long Island”) claiming it as part of New France history didn’t record what he called this mountain. But a welcome navigation landmark it was then -­‐-­‐ just as it is now. And he would have used it to sail into Penobscot Bay. As he followed the shoreline, his eyes could not have missed that sheltered spot formed by a slight drop in the 300-­‐foot cliff set off against the sea of spruce just above the beach, all the way to the mountain top. While he may not have heard their croaks, frogs were certainly not far off, merrily frolicking in a very large pond West of the “mountain”. Little did they know that many moons later, their heirs would be feted with their very own bespoke private retreat –the Japanese grounds of what is today 180 Abrams Mountain. Fast forward – four hundred years. The year is 2005. I had just decided not to buy one of the private islands off the coast of Maine. What then? I had long sailed the waters of the Gulf of Maine, sailing past Islesboro many times. Little did I know that, one day, this very spot would in fact become the site of a lifetime design endeavor. One that would come to consume a decade of my life. That’s when I discovered that landlocked magical spot, Abrams Mountain, with its unique stunning view of Penobscot Bay. Unbeknownst to me I was seventy years late: the US Coast & Geodetic survey had already found it and marked it in 1934. The perfect spot from which to triangulate the islands and the coast. Indeed, they set an engraved bronze marker right at the top. Seventy years later, I had just rediscovered that long buried marker! And the inaccessible mountain. All 23 acres of it. Available for purchase? Maybe. At a price? You bet -­‐-­‐and then some! Oh, and one more thing: it was landlocked. You actually could not get to it without (1) trespassing; (2) parachuting in; or (3) mounting an amphibious landing worthy of my Viking ancestors. No access road, no path, nothing. What struck me at once was how the place felt like the coastal islands of Japan, Korea or Northern China. Close your eyes. Let the fog roll in and out, hiding the trees and the ledges in its embrace. Playing hide and seek with the ocean below and the sky above. Leaving just an impressionist canvas of grey, white and blue. You are not just on Islesboro, Maine, USA. You are also on Hokkaido, in Qingdao, or any of the picturesque islands of Northern Asia. The feeling was uncanny. A magical spot you could only dream of – but couldn’t get to. So here you had it: the most exclusive, private mountain retreat with extraordinary views of Penobscot Bay, all to yourself. In Chinese the signs for “crisis” (challenge) Weiji (危機) and “opportunity” Jihui (機會) are near siblings—they share one root, ji (機). How appropriate I thought! The link to these Northern Asian islands ran far deeper-­‐-­‐ more ominous, yet more alluring. Here was the ultimate design challenge: turn this priceless exclusive private retreat into a unique space –but don’t disturb it. It would take the genius of Frank Lloyd Wright to pull this off. Think Falling Waters: don’t fight the environment, make the structure part of nature’s canvas. Fuse it into vanishing boundaries: no telling where nature stops and structure starts. Never an alien be. That challenge is precisely what Japanese gardens do so brilliantly. Always part of nature as if it had been there asleep all along. And now awakened by a symphony of wood, granite, slate and bronze. All carefully choreographed into a unique design. First off, banish the traditional New England style white wooden structures that line the coast of Maine in brash contrast to the woods and jagged coastline. Maine -­‐-­‐ yes. That’s where the mountain and the bay and the spot is. Beyond that stay away from Maine typical structures and grounds. As far away from it as one could ever imagine. Take the best of Asian and Western design and build a priceless private retreat that is both an architectural gem and a feat of fusion design inside. A challenge. An opportunity. Two years, one road and much ledge blasting later we were good to go: a gigantic canvas upon which to summon the inspiration of the greats. “First do no harm” was the motto of the young architect, a Wright student and worshipper, who took up the challenge to turn our unschooled drawings of what we visualized into a true masterpiece. Reading from his master’s playbook, he cradled this exquisite structure into the cliff’s arms, using the very building materials that were there all along: wood, granite, slate. And glass. Glass everywhere. Both inside and out to complete this visual tour de force: make one feel at once part of the scenery. Later the same idea inspired the use of shoji screens in the master bedroom, the carriage house and the tea house. The material used, the color palette, very gentle shades of light green – mind the frogs: they were there long before and will be there long after. Act 2 A house with a view -­‐-­‐ Une Maison avec Vue Step in through the main entrance on the West side. An original design large mosaic sets the stage You are facing East as the wind rose says. Right in front of you through the glass front of the house, rising three stories high, here’s Penobscot Bay, the way you can never see it again anywhere else on the island or even at sea. This is the only East facing spot where you are high enough (300 feet) and with a wide lens 180 degrees unobstructed view of the bay and all the islands in front of you: Northhaven, Vinalhaven, Mount Desert, dozens and dozens of island for your eyes to feast on. As you step into the foyer the view is breathtaking. While a post and beam structure, it in fact does not strike one as the key feature. For aside from making the airy soaring structure possible, free of pillars and other aesthetic eyesore supports, the red oak structure with all the intricate woodwork is more reminiscent of the great wooden yachts of the gilded age than anything else. The striking feature is the curvaceous deck lines and the symphony of woods: red oak, white oak, mahogany, poplar, Brazilian cherry, purple heart, ebony. All set together in a carefully choreographed production. Wood, granite, slate, glass, bronze. Stainless steel. That’s it. Hardly any plaster or such. And painting, sculptures, mosaics, stained glass. Each one with their own individual history and their provenance from my worldwide travels and love of art –in all its incarnations. As we walk in and look forward, the eye can’t help looking up and up to the soaring ceilings and the gracious curves of the various “decks” –yes “decks” as in the iconic luxury ocean liners of the 30’s. That is now straight from the I.M Pei signature verticality playbook. That magical way in which he makes outside space “come inside”, making one feel like soaring, never closed in. while the structure looks unobtrusive so as not to disturb the environment and the terraced ledges outside, inside the eye is drawn upwards three decks up, as if in fact inside had morphed into open sky. Just like on an ocean liner. To complete the montage here are the gracious curves of the deck railing with bronze posts, mahogany handrails and stainless steel safety lines like a classic yacht has just come ashore perching itself on top of the cliff. The curves of course owe much to Santiago Calatrava – long before he had achieved rock star status in the architect hall of fame. Let us proceed through the front door, past the mosaic. In that large foyer a compelling focal point: a 1: 12 scale exact replica of a Viking Drakkar boat (“long boat” as they are sometime called in America). The boats that conquered Europe between 600 AD and 1100 AD and discovered America 6 centuries before Columbus. That model sits there on a glass table, as if suspended in air, after landing on the beach 300 feet below. And in fact it could very well have. For a few hundred nautical miles north, the full size real version did indeed land in Newfoundland (“L’Anse aux Meadows”; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%27Anse_aux_Meadows.) Getting that exact replica with the blessing and invaluable help of the Viking boat museum curator in Norway (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viking_Ship_Museum_(Oslo)) took a lot. To Marc Farnham, master professional model builder in Cape Town goes all the credit. And to the curator who graciously shared their computerized files of the real Drakkar. Looking left hailing from Xi’an, Emperor Qin Shihuang bronze warriors are keeping guard of the ship, along with their much larger terra cotta siblings on each side of the granite chimney. To the left of the foyer is the drawing room with a special assortment of the best of western and Asian art and furnishings. Along the West window is a Steinway grand piano. Above the chimney is a classic Cluny tapestry, “La Dame a la Licorne”, (http://www.musee-­‐moyenage.fr/collection/oeuvre/la-­‐dame-­‐a-­‐la-­‐ licorne.html) On the North wall a sailing scene (“Sails at sea”) by Chines artist Cao Guang Wen (曹廣文)completes the décor. As we move East towards the bay to take in the stunning view, two Emperor style antique late Ming dynasty red lacquer chairs await the contemplative soul, looking to luxuriate in the ocean view. Nested green Ming side tables with rattan tops complete the fusion. As we rest sitting in front of the chimney one feature becomes apparent. Light goes through the house from North to South unimpeded shining through a series of stained glass original works by master artist Charles Barone. Now turn South and walk towards the kitchen and dining area and the glass atrium at the South end and the same fusion is everywhere. From stained glass original pieces (“Merlin the Magician” in the Atrium and “The Parrots” between the atrium and the dining area, to slate, bronze and stainless steel, the link across designs and cultures is unmistakable -­‐-­‐ down to the Chinese gong calling guests to a sumptuous meal. We now have a choice we can head up to the secluded master bedroom and observation deck area through the spiral staircase linking the upper decks, main deck and below deck area (bar and all) or we can continue exploring the main deck. Let’s head south and visit the ground floor bedroom, with its nautical theme, its antique early Ming low dresser and mid Ming night stands all in red matte Chinese finish. Along that North South corridor, a series of stained glass with a unifying theme line up the West side from the bedroom door, the bathroom and then the laundry room, including see though 19th century bubble glass upper windows to let the setting sun light right through to the east, through the kitchen and beyond. On the wall are some original lithographs including a very moving original piece depicting the rescue of the officers of confederate ship CSS Alabama by its hunter USS Kearsage off the coast of Cherbourg (Normandy) in 1864 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Kearsarge_(1861) CSS Alabama’s luck had finally run out after being hunted by the USS Kearsage for several years. Walking up the main stairway a large Fresnel lantern, once the heart of every lighthouse around the world since the 1820’s to 1960 because of its remarkable prism optics that concentrated light beams to unmatched density -­‐to this day. It achieved this feat through exceptional prismatic engineering, which has never ben bested. Virtually impossible to find this Fresnel lantern used to guide mariners into San Augustin harbor in Florida. Today it guides us into this haven of privacy, peace and tranquility. As we walk up, various lithographs of famed defenses of the America’s Cup by such legendary yachts as Volunteer and Thistle prepare one for another exceptional model. A 1:50 replica of Grand Admiral Zheng He Admiral ship, heading the Ming Imperial Fleet, hand carved in rosewood. These sailing monsters 20 times larger than Columbus diminutive ship, with seven masts and over 800 men aboard plied the oceans for several centuries rounding the Cape of Good Hope long before Vasco de Gama. On the wall next to it another Cluny tapestry (L’Unicorne) sets the visual stage for the media room. Several oil on canvas painting by Liu Lian (劉戀) “Playing MahJong”, “The Fitting room” showcase some of the most original contemporary Chinese painters, reminiscent of Modigliani and his elongated faces with searching eyes. Turning South at the top of the steps one of the most charming bedrooms feels like the posh cabin of a classic luxury wooden yacht. The game room features an original Chinese Mah Jong table and chair set while the media room offers the comfort of a cushy sectional for movie screening or just plain relaxing. As we follow the upper deck along the rail we arrive into a very private area with an office, observation deck over the atrium and finally the master bedroom -­‐ a complete Japanese setting, shoji screens, oil and acrylic re-­‐editions of traditional Japanese woodblock Ukiyo-­‐e print themes. An antique Chinese herbal apothecary cabinet matches the sober, uncluttered, less-­‐is-­‐more décor fitting for a place of rest and relaxation. And the piece de resistance in the master bath is a large mosaic interpretation of a famous Ukiyo-­‐e era woodblock print bath scene (“The geisha in a bath”) Heading back down the spiral staircase the atrium features several original stained glass works by Charles Barone, one in particular endowed with extraordinary lightness and modern lines, Merlin the Magician. As we pass the main deck and head below deck into the bar area another artistic surprise awaits. In keeping with the Art Deco cum Ming furniture of the house, two styles which blossomed together in Shanghai in the ‘30’s, large ocean liner style leather club chairs await the guests, with a bar, wine cellar and walk-­‐in cigar humidor. The art work on the wall is three original pieces by Andile, a very well-­‐known South African artist, using oil on leather and in a style now known as “Africasso”, each piece with a story attached to it. The bar drinking scene draws its inspiration from the famous aria from La Traviata, Libiamo ne’ lieti calici (Check out Pavarotti’s live performance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lI3tZgFz8RE). To round off the festive atmosphere two more art works complete the show: both Africasso free spirited reinterpretations of Goya’s Maja Vestida and Maja Desnuda. Open a bottle of fine wine, step up to the second Steinway in the house, the junior sibling to the grand in the living room on the main deck, and you will spend many wonderful evenings below deck, in a bar where even the ceiling is a perfect replica of that of a schooner. Complete with the salvaged remains of a schooner mast that dismasted at sea in the Penobscot bay 30 years ago. After paying your respects to the wine cellar and the humidor, head north stepping through a massive watertight steel door straight from the Bath Iron Boat yard and Iron works, and the Typhoon class submarines. You would be forgiven if you start hearing the opening score of The Hunt for Red October! It’s not the effect of generous libations from the bar. It’s the setting that’s sinking in. As you continue North another watertight massive door offers access to the engine room where all the hardware that makes this house so comfortable and complete, resides. Now walk back up to main floor, to head straight onto the outer deck and take in the Bay, with a perfect 180-­‐degree view of the whole Penobscot Bay. Now Act 3 awaits -­‐-­‐-­‐ the grounds Act 3 – Kyoto on the Bay There are two areas as the ledges rise up towards the top of the mountain, the Tori gates and the tea house. The lower grounds and the upper grounds. The slide show is the best way to enjoy the stroll. Suffice it to say that in Spring, with your very own private Cherry blossom festival it is a feast for the eye. And a haven of peace and tranquility. Go ahead, step out and wander through the exquisite grounds. You are both in Maine but also in Kyoto, Hokkaido or any of the marvelous gardens that define Zen and mental balance. As you walk through the Tori gates heading to the tea house they take on their full meaning: you are indeed leaving the world of the mere material, hustle and bustle. And you enter a spiritual world of tranquility and harmony.