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If you head north out of New York City towards the Hudson Valley for about an hour, you reach the first slopes of the Hudson Highlands. Metropolitan density gradually thins out to give way to thickly wooded, almost impervious, valleys where the restful calm of nature, with its materials, colors, sounds, and rules, is all there is.
Situated at a relatively short distance from each other makes the contrast between nature and city all the more striking. So close yet so far from its direct opposite, the nearby intense metropolis, this section of the Hudson River Valley is unique. Understandably for those with the opportunity, like the clients of this private Hudson Highlands Residence, it is the obvious choice for a get-away second home.
Perched on a ridge amidst the Hudson Highlands, the house has views that recall the landscape paintings of the 19th-century Hudson River School. Indeed, the name of the steep road leading to the house – Eyrie (the nest of a bird of prey, usually built high up in a tree or on a cliff) – perfectly describes the essence of both the location and the architectural design.
Hovering above the rugged landscape of the Hudson Highlands with views towards the historic West Point Military Academy, the site is both exceptional and spectacular. Susan T. Rodriguez’s design enhances its uniqueness. Replacing a 1960s construction, her simple, rectilinear volume of zinc, wood and glass rests on a base of glass and local stone designed to minimize the building’s footprint and allow the main living spaces to float over the landscape as if suspended. To maximize this effect, the sleeping and living areas were inverted: the bedrooms are on the ground floor, and the kitchen and shared living spaces on the upper level.
Designed to offer ever-changing but uninterrupted contact with the surrounding landscape from every part of the house, the residence offers occupants a unique experience. The...
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