Smoothly blending with land and sky in its leafy setting, Hudson Valley Residence marks a stark contrast against the skyscraping architecture the words 'New York' are often associated with. Instead, this private home sits in the green expanses of Upstate New York and lays low on a ridge overlooking the Catskill Mountains. The project, designed by HGX Design, was a commission for a client who longed for a scenic retreat, and a gathering place for family.
Explore the Hudson Valley Residence
Set against the rolling hills of rural Germantown farmland, the 35-acre residence is an elongated ground-up home with large unobstructed glass panelling which allows residents to take in the vast panoramic vistas. Its low and elongated shape seamlessly merges with the horizon, creating a beautiful architectural contrast to the mountain range towering in the west.
HGX Design took note of the plot's surroundings, comprising nature and long, low-lying agricultural buildings, which influenced the overall design approach. The use of natural timber, such as the custom-stained exterior cedar siding, adds a connection to the organic context. This feeling beautifully intertwines with unmistakably contemporary features, including the 13-foot glass panels which make up the home's transparent boundary.
The materials playfully interact with the surrounding fields and sun, reflecting a tapestry of colours. ‘There are many ways to form relationships with nature, including by juxtaposing or by blending in,” says Hal Goldstein, creative director of HGX.
‘The house meets the sky in a very minimal way, while remaining lightly seated on the ground. It’s a predictable system that flows like a piece of music, with subtle tone-on-tone interactions with the elements that bring the colours and material palette to life throughout the day.’
Blurring the lines between indoor and outdoor living, natural light trickles in and interacts with the interior's custom-stained walnut flooring, casting a silvery wash that highlights the cooler tones throughout the residence. The open-plan space inside cleverly captures the easterly morning sunlight and the afterglow of sunsets.
The primary bedroom suite sits at one end of the property, with a trio of guest rooms on the opposite end. In the building's heart, a single, flowing kitchen, dining and living space caters for family gatherings. This communal area is complemented by a gym, media room and garage in the basement.
The client’s rich art collection has been carefully placed throughout the home, adding depth and dynamic colour to the interior.
-
New tech dedicated to home health, personal wellness and mapping your metricsWe round up the latest offerings in the smart health scene, from trackers for every conceivable metric from sugar to sleep, through to therapeutic furniture and ultra intelligent toothbrushes
-
Out of office: The Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the week'Tis the season for eating and drinking, and the Wallpaper* team embraced it wholeheartedly this week. Elsewhere: the best spot in Milan for clothing repairs and outdoor swimming in December
-
How Stephen Burks Man Made is bringing the story of a centuries-old African textile to an entirely new audienceAfter researching the time-honoured craft of Kuba cloth, designers Stephen Burks and Malika Leiper have teamed up with Italian company Alpi on a dynamic new product
-
Step inside this resilient, river-facing cabin for a life with ‘less stuff’A tough little cabin designed by architects Wittman Estes, with a big view of the Pacific Northwest's Wenatchee River, is the perfect cosy retreat
-
Remembering Robert A.M. Stern, an architect who discovered possibility in the pastIt's easy to dismiss the late architect as a traditionalist. But Stern was, in fact, a design rebel whose buildings were as distinctly grand and buttoned-up as his chalk-striped suits
-
Own an early John Lautner, perched in LA’s Echo Park hillsThe restored and updated Jules Salkin Residence by John Lautner is a unique piece of Californian design heritage, an early private house by the Frank Lloyd Wright acolyte that points to his future iconic status
-
The Stahl House – an icon of mid-century modernism – is for sale in Los AngelesAfter 65 years in the hands of the same family, the home, also known as Case Study House #22, has been listed for $25 million
-
Houston's Ismaili Centre is the most dazzling new building in America. Here's a look insideLondon-based architect Farshid Moussavi designed a new building open to all – and in the process, has created a gleaming new monument
-
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fountainhead will be opened to the public for the first timeThe home, a defining example of the architect’s vision for American design, has been acquired by the Mississippi Museum of Art, which will open it to the public, giving visitors the chance to experience Frank Lloyd Wright’s genius firsthand
-
Clad in terracotta, these new Williamsburg homes blend loft living and an organic feelThe Williamsburg homes inside 103 Grand Street, designed by Brooklyn-based architects Of Possible, bring together elegant interiors and dramatic outdoor space in a slick, stacked volume
-
This ethereal Miami residence sprouted out of a wild, jungle-like gardenA Miami couple tapped local firm Brillhart Architecture to design them a house that merged Florida vernacular, Paul Rudolph and 'too many plants to count’
