Developed on eleven acres overlooking the Hudson River Valley, New York, this family retreat is the product of architect Jared Della Valle, principal of the Dumbo-based development practice, Alloy Development. The design intent was driven by the high sustainability standards of Della Valle’s own children; a wariness of the environmental effect of a second home led Jared to task himself with creating a minimally impactful building that sits thoughtfully within its surroundings.
The structure stitches into the landscape through the careful siting of three retaining walls which establish a sequence of arrival and define the character of the house. An opaque, cantilevering volume conceals the private functions of the dwelling and marks the entry with a single aperture that, on approach, presents the view beyond. The cantilevered upper volume also provides solar control and defines interior and
exterior living space.
The house is built with passive strategies which include an airtight, well-insulated building envelope, triple-glazed windows, and a Variable Refrigerant Flow HVAC system with Heat Recovery Ventilator. The land was adapted through indigenous planting to fill the surrounding vistas with native flowers and grasses which also help manage and leverage on-site water resources. A full solar array provides year-round energy, and the choice of materials and details throughout the building are deliberately modest, focusing on natural, locally sourced materials.
