This architect-led, design/build project is based on LEED sustainable strategies and was featured in the November 2014 issue of Architectural Digest. The home is sited on a ridge overlooking the Hudson River. Upon entering the home, the dramatic landscape of the Hudson River is revealed.

Two rectangular wings are linked by a narrow glass passage, forming the L-shaped plan and dividing the home into private and public spaces, while forming an open-entry courtyard.

The public wing sits along the top of the ridge, with commanding views of the river, while permitting the landscape to flow under the house. The interiors were conceived to be comfortable, relaxed, and uncluttered, allowing the soothing effects of the surrounding woods and river to flow through the house with minimal interruption.

The surrounding trees of oak and walnut provided the primary design inspiration for the layered exterior skin of the house. The skin, detailed as a rain screen, consists of concrete and reclaimed ipe, salvaged from the Coney Island boardwalk. Deep exterior decks and overhangs encase the interior cores, providing shade from the summer sun. The house is capped with a 16kW solar array and planted with native species, minimizing storm water runoff and linking the home back to the surrounding landscape.

The narrow footprint aids in providing natural ventilation through the triple-glazed, floor-to-ceiling windows, which flood that interiors with natural light, minimizing the demands on both energy use for lighting and air conditioning. 

During the design process, sustainable strategies were implemented such as: high insulation values, air sealing, moisture management, daylighting and solar heat gain control, energy efficient heating and energy management controls.