Thursday, 10 January 2008 |
Escaping the big city used to mean keeping warm
beside a fireplace in aquaint little wood cabin tucked away in the
wilderness. But now we allknow impressive design can be found virtually
anywhere, even in themost remote areas. At just over 200 square metres,
the Steel House in New York’s Hudson Valley provides an ideal
weekend retreat.
From a distance the length
of the narrow house looks like a metallicscreen rising out of the
surrounding meadow. The house opens to thelandscape on the narrow east
and west facades. One end features adouble-height entry with a stairway
leading up to two bedrooms on thefirst level. The bedrooms above
overlook a small, private lake by wayof an enclosed balcony whilst
below, the living and dining area openout to a screened patio.
Striving
to remain economical, high priority was giving to theselection of
materials and finished both inside and out. Allinterior walls, floors
and ceiling as well as custom furniture andcabinetry were constructed
of durable maple plywood. Specialconsideration was also given to the
use and placement of glazing andskylights that allow for natural
ventilation.
Exterior floating stainless steel
panels run the length of the house.Besides obvious aesthetic
considerations, these perforated exteriorscreens protect the house from
seasonal weather variations. Theyprovide much needed shade from the
summer sun, and buffer the home fromstrong winter winds.
At
just under 150 kilometres from New York City, the Steel House ishardly
at the end of the earth, however, the siting and design of theweekend
retreat allows its guests a welcoming break from the urbanchaos. By Andrew J Wiener
See also Camouflage House
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architecture 
Steel House 
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