Mountain House HP

Philipstown, NY

HIGH PERFORMANCE

A client from NYC reached out to River Architects to help actualize his vision of an environmentally friendly, futuristic weekend home. 

River Architects envisioned a long straight building that would anchor into a hill to the rear of the site and hover over the landscape. The main living floor above is wrapped in moss green rain screen panels to blend with the surrounding tree canopy. A deck extends from the south side to reach out to the land, with space reserved for a future lap pool. The primary suite opens to the north overlooking a valley, giving the sensation of sitting within the canopy while the dense forest maintains privacy and intimacy. The minimal lower level is wrapped in black rain screen panels to make it disappear. The rain screen panels and finishes require zero maintenance. 

The house was designed with high efficiency in consideration and has achieved an Energy Star rating of HERS 60, meaning that it is 40% more efficient than an average new home built today. Structurally insulated panels, or SIPS, along with triple glazed window systems, achieve a high R-value with very air-tight construction. Advanced mechanical systems create an extremely comfortable and healthy interior environment.

LEED Silver Certified 
Photos by Chuck Choi