New York-based Japanese architect Toshiko Mori has a way of softening even the sharpest of modern lines by fusing the built and natural environments. Her residential projects, from Mexico to Maine to Inner Mongolia and beyond, are consistently serene. And despite their often challenging settings atop hills and cliffs or beside the ocean, Mori's projects always appear at one with their surroundings. This home in Taghkanic, in New York's Hudson Valley, is a perfect example.
The remote cliff-top site is nestled between boulders and surrounded by woods, all overlooking the Hudson River Valley and the Catskill Mountains. Seen from above, the house looks as if it could tumble down the hillside. No neighboring homes are visible, which only intensifies the dwelling's of-the-land feeling. Moreover, an exterior bridge lets you walk between the highest points of the surrounding landscape, while absorbing the immense views.
The property includes a four-bedroom, 3,800-square-foot main house along with a guest house and garage. Two rectangular volumes comprise the main house: a two-story east volume pressed against an exposed rock face, and a west volume with double-height living and dining spaces. The west side of the home is worth a closer look; elevated on support columns to avoid disturbing the rocky topography, the volume is hugged by a deck, which Mori designed to be cantilevered over the cliff edge. Look down and you'll see treetops, or gaze around at sprawling views of the Hudson Valley.
With four bedrooms and five bathrooms, the 2005-built property would be a spectacular vacation home. Beyond the beauty of the outdoor environment, the interior of the home also maximizes the landscape. Bedrooms and bathrooms mostly face east and offer views of the surrounding rock and ferns, while the master suite features a glass wall that opens onto a rock garden with a Japanese soaking tub.
Curious about this modern refuge within a fairly short drive of New York City? The home is listed for $2.9 million on Halstead.com, where you'll find all the details.
