Schoolhouse

CLIENT

LOCATION

OVERVIEW

This artist studio and guesthouse is carefully aligned with the daily course of the sun and views of the distant Catskills. The black wood cladding stands out against the lush natural surroundings, and these dark tones extend to the interiors with the polished black concrete floors. A breezeway with floor-to-ceiling windows offers a dining space that fully immerses visitors in the views to the south and west. A barn door at one end connects to the studio, where one walks into the spacious double-height interior. The mezzanine level atop the studio and the second-floor bedroom across from it frame breathtaking southwestern vistas, especially stunning during the vibrant fall season.

What’s special about this part of Columbia County where the project is situated are the vistas, the weather, and abundance of light. We immediately wanted to harness those qualities for an artist’s studio and make them memorable for guests too. It influenced every aspect of the design – from the home’s orientation and spatial layout to the choice of materials and the ceiling heights. We were able to maximize views of the Catskills to the southwest, and create openings with sweeping ceiling heights were attuned to building  

Nuanced lighting effects further extend the relationships between interior and the surrounding context. For example, the rich surface of the polished concrete floors are reflective during the day, casting fluid, water-like patterns across the studio, and recede into darkness at night, creating the illusion of floating walls.

Program Elements: Studio Space | Kitchen | Library | Stair | Bathroom | Landscape Design