A Brutalist Sanctuary Along Jamaica’s Northeast Coast

Cruising along a winding jungle path, beneath canopies of Blue Mahoe and bamboo groves, where the scent of jasmine and hibiscus hangs in the humid air, one hardly expects to encounter a brutalist monolith with an infinity pool, world-class recording studio, yoga pavilion, horse farm, and design details sourced from around the world. Yet hidden deep within Jamaica’s Portland Parish—a far cry from the more predictable rhythms of Negril or Montego Bay—lies Pompey, a 50-acre sanctuary that redefines the modern luxury retreat.

Conceived by Thomas Wesley Pentz, better known as the Grammy Award-winning artist Diplo, Pompey isn’t merely a destination—it’s a convergence of nature, sound, and design. Part private residence, part creative refuge, the estate officially opened in 2024 and has already drawn a cloister of musicians, artists, and in-the-know aesthetes—though the guest list remains intentionally unspoken, protected by Pompey’s reverence for privacy.

The journey is cinematic in itself. Past discreet gates that disappear into the lush vegetation, guests arrive at a two-story structure of raw concrete produced from Jamaican limestone, wood, and glass—a vision by Freecell Architecture and lead architect Gia Wolff. The design channels the golden age of Brazilian modernism, invoking the language of Oscar Niemeyer and Paulo Mendes da Rocha while simultaneously engaging with Jamaican architectural vernacular—Kingston’s mid-century brutalism, Falmouth’s Georgian relics, and Portland’s timber traditions.

“We aimed to achieve a modernism reminiscent of successful practices in tropical countries, which aligns with the core value of our practice: to expose construction and structural systems rather than conceal them,” Wolff tells Surface. The result is a dialogue between cantilevered forms, breezeways, and hand-crafted wooden louvered shutters—a nod to tradition that allows air to flow freely while keeping out mosquitoes. The estate’s palette is raw yet refined, forged in concrete and timber, softened by linen and light, animated by vegetation and breeze.

Pompey runs entirely off solar power. Rainwater is harvested. Organic farming is woven into the landscape—including a thriving banana grove that provides shade, nutrition, and a closed-loop system for composting and soil enrichment. The grove supports the estate’s culinary program and adds to the ecosystem’s overall health. Even the logistical challenges of building on such remote terrain—including transporting concrete—became opportunities to engage local labor and innovate with materials.

The interiors unfold like a design compendium, curated through Diplo’s anthropological lens. The kitchen is stocked with color-coordinated Japanese TINJA vessels. Dining areas gleam with green-tinted Locale Couleur glassware. Bronze oxidized bathtubs from Treasures D’Old Mexico lend tactile warmth to otherwise minimalist bathrooms. Lighting by Vince Skelly casts shadows with sculptural intent.

Five bedrooms allow for families, friends, or creative teams to gather. Open-air walkways guide guests through indoor-outdoor transitions, where cicadas and tropical birds form the estate’s natural soundtrack. In the listening room, a custom-built Lucas Muñoz Muñoz speaker system transforms the space into a sonic gallery. Each object speaks a language of texture, origin, and intentionality.

Pompey is not only for the design-devoted; it’s also built for restoration. Diplo’s well-documented commitment to wellness is felt across the property, from the yoga pavilion that overlooks a mirage-like pond, to the cold plunge, climbing wall, sauna, hyperbaric chamber, and gym outfitted with rowers, bikes, and weights. There’s an elegant balance between retox and detox—one where sunrise meditation might be followed by a vinyl-fueled dance under the stars.

For artists on retreat, Pompey is a place to tap into the frequencies of the island and craft something transcendent. The professional-grade, fully equipped recording studio faces the Caribbean horizon and offers what few others can: sonic privacy, spiritual recharge, and an environment where creativity is not just welcomed, but summoned.

The indulgences include an on-call private chef, edible gardens, discreet doses of homegrown psilocybin and cannabis available upon request, and all the sensory accoutrements that one might expect from a hospitality experience conjured by a genre-fluid provocateur. But the real magic of Pompey lies in the intangibles: the way golden hour light cuts across the concrete walls; the dance of shadow through the louvers; the westward winds that pour in from the Caribbean, bracketed by the Blue Mountains and sea. It peels back slowly, revealing itself in layers. Pompey, like a great album, offers more the deeper you listen.