KOKO’s brief for the Hudson Concrete House was to design a country escape for an art collector in the Hudson River Valley that could also incorporate an experiential home for his expansive art collection. KOKO was actively engaged with the site selection and several properties with existing historic agricultural structures were considered. In the end, the only land restriction at the chosen plot was that the geo-marker set in concrete at the highest point of the mountain could not be disturbed.

This “untouchable” landscape influenced the design of the interior courtyard set at the peak of Mount Merino. The architects were able to draw on their Japanese culture to explore the notion of Ma from zen gardens. The rugged stone terrain inspired the choice of exposed concrete for the structure of the house, reflecting both the client’s vision of a relaxed natural home as well as the industrial landscape of the nearby rustbelt.

The house’s approach is defined by an artificial earthwork envisioned by MVVA Landscape Architects and is connected to the house by a steel bridge. New site-specific works were commissioned by younger artists like Ben Butler’s landscape installation emerging through the courtyard terrain. Ironically, the house stands across the valley from Frederick Church’s Iconic Olana Estate, another courtyard house atop a mountain, that also houses an eclectic art collection. The Hudson Concrete House pays homage to the rich tradition of art and landscape in the Hudson Valley.