Upstate Retreat
geometry meets nature
Summary
This minimalist Catskills retreat explores geometry and the ways it can mirror, emphasize, and enhance our surroundings—both man-made and organic. The architecture exists in constant dialogue with the environment, creating a dynamic and deferential retreat through clean lines, ample windows, and a restrained neutral palette.
Idea
Though fundamentally different, refined architecture and lush forested surroundings can—and in the case of this house, do—exist in harmony. Here, the deciding factor is a rigorous, carefully attuned design approach. The home is intended to be one of retreat, respite, and reconnection.
Expression
Lofty ceilings, long vertical windows, and articulated wood slat walls evoke the surrounding tree lines. At the exterior, corrugated metal is a durable choice that highlights the verdant surroundings throughout the seasons. Inside, bleached woods offset rich matte black steel, a sleek shou sugi ban of sorts. Long corridors culminate in airy, glass-shrouded rooms, framing an experience in which one moves from compression to expansion.
Impact
In the absence of ornamentation, the architecture hones the senses to the interplay of light, shadow, texture, and the changing seasons unfolding through ample windows and clever skylights.