Hudson Valley House II was designed as a collection of small cottages clustered around a landscaped courtyard set back from the road in a gently sloping field. Surrounded by fields of native grasses, the eight distinct rooms consist of a living and dining room, three bedrooms, a study, a chapel, and two support and storage pavilions.
These cottages are clad in rough-hewn cedar shakes coated with traditional Swedish black tar. Inside, they are sheathed - on the floors, walls and ceilings - in spruce plywood from the Austrian forests. The black framed windows of various sizes allow cross ventilation in the summer and are highly insulated for winter conditions. Interior wood shutters can be deployed for sun control as needed.
Native grasses with a succession of seasonal blooms fill the courtyard along with honey locust trees and a selection of conifers. Walking from the parking court to the pavilions elevates the experience of this native Hudson River Valley landscape. Text description by the architects.
