.svg){kind=small}
project overview
Originally conceived by its late owner, a local contractor, as a basement workshop beneath a planned garage and two-story residence, the project came to an abrupt halt following his unexpected passing. Years later, a pair of design enthusiasts came across the abandoned platform during a weekend road trip and envisioned turning the site into a permanent four-season retreat.
The transformation began with a bold structural move. Using a crane, two concrete ceiling planks were carefully lifted and rotated ninety degrees, creating an eight-foot-wide aperture that floods the space with natural light while providing stair access to the basement level. These repositioned planks now form an outdoor deck that runs parallel to the creek below, creating a unique connection to the landscape.
Standard scissor trusses were cleverly inverted to span the existing platform's footprint, resulting in an unexpectedly spacious interior volume that echoes the openness of the canvas tents that once occupied this site.
The existing concrete bunker held an unexpected charm for the clients, evoking the minimalist aesthetic of their favorite Japanese architects. Remarkably, the original floor slab contained radiant hydronic heating that remained functional despite fifteen years of abandonment.
The removal of the two concrete planks creates a dramatic vertical connection between upper and lower living spaces, allowing borrowed daylight to penetrate deep into the basement level. This lower floor now serves as a self-contained apartment for visiting college-age children, complete with its own kitchenette for added independence. The upper level houses the primary living spaces and master suite.
Throughout the design, thoughtful details honor both the site's history and its natural setting. A vertical slot in the facade marks the location of the original stair the contractor had planned to connect his workshop to the garage above. A cedar-clad light well drops natural illumination into the basement butler's pantry.
The building envelope exemplifies efficient design, with a high-performance shell that wraps the interior volume like protective outdoor gear. Durable standing-seam metal panels and Gutex wood fiber insulation combine to deliver waterproofing, breathability, and thermal efficiency with minimal lifetime maintenance. The low-slope roof, designed to reduce the home’s impact on neighbor views, is also solar ready.
The low slope roof, designed to mitigate the house’s impact on the neighbor’s view corridors, is solar ready..
AIA Westchester + Hudson Valley, Honor Award, 2024