Located on a 16,000 acre property in Polk County, Florida, the Streamsong Resort and Conference Center, designed by Alfonso Architects, is a celebration of reclamation, of both land and spirit. The site is formerly-mined phosphate land owned and developed by the Mosaic Company, the world’s leading producer and marketer of phosphate-based crop nutrients. The 300,000 square-foot resort includes 216 rooms in the main lodge, 12 rooms in the golf clubhouse, a full service spa, three restaurants, and 18,500 square feet of conference center space.

The golf clubhouse sits gently in the saddle of the sand dunes, overlooking a terrain that seems foreign to the Florida landscape. The clubhouse does not attempt to dominate the setting but rather accentuate and heighten the surrounding dunes by bringing the guests closer to the water level. The building emerges from the site with a grounded first floor stone element, a cedar box sitting atop, and a glass pavilion floating out over the lake. Its color palette complements the sand dunes all around it as well as the spectrum of the Florida sunlight. A celebratory veranda overlooks the start and finish for both courses, and the patio wraps around the glass pavilion over the lake, affording dramatic views of the surreal landscape.

Location: Bowling Green, FL

Project Year: 2014