Gallatin Residence is located on 100 acres of former farmland in the upper Hudson Valley. Our client, who lives in New York City, had owned the land for more than a decade before approaching our practice to design a new home on the property. Through that time, he worked to gradually restore the site to its pre-agricultural setting by removing invasive plantings and clearing unhealthy growth from the surrounding woodland. Feeling the time was right to create a respite from the city, he engaged our practice to design a home that respected the surrounding landscape through its scale, massing, and use of natural, unadorned materials. And while showing deference to the landscape was critical to the design process, he also wanted the home to take advantage of spectacular views across the Hudson River Valley to the distant Catskills.
Site studies informed the location of the home near the crest of a knoll in the meadow, with living areas opening to panoramic views to the west. From the driveway, the home’s slender roofline floats just above the meadow, before a series of board-formed concrete walls emerge on approach, guiding the entry sequence. Re-grading a portion of the knoll allowed the home to tuck back into the slope, with a lower-level primary suite, two additional bedrooms, and a lounge all at grade. Earth from the excavated portion of the knoll was feathered down the hill and the entire meadow was reseeded with native grasses by the design team to further the cohesive natural habitat envisioned by our client.
The entry-level pavilion creates the sensation of floating over the meadow. Though a modest scale, outdoor terraces on the upper level extend kitchen, dining, and living areas and provide seamless indoor/outdoor movement in warmer months. With the west-facing orientation of the home, mitigating glare throughout the year was an important consideration. On visits with our client during construction, we explored glazing mock-ups with varied VLT, ultimately confirming a solution that, combined with deep roof overhangs, provides year-round interior comfort.
In keeping with our client’s desire for authentic, expressed materials, Gallatin Residence uses a palette of timber, Douglas fir siding, board-formed concrete, white oak and local bluestone in their natural state, reinforcing continuity between interior and exterior environments. Exposed Douglas fir beams and slender steel columns support the slim roofline that extends to shelter outdoor gathering spaces. Resting lightly on the land our client has tended to for many years, the home now provides a welcome departure from the city and a frequent year-round gathering place for friends and family.
