CATSKILL HOUSE   Halcottsville, NY

Project Team: Jake Wright, Wen Chen, Gerry Murphy (interiors)         

Fabricated by: DeckHouse

Builder:Todd Stinson (Cedar Crest Construction)

Site characteristics and the client’s lifestyle requirementsmade made the conceptual design and program development especially exciting. The site slopes to the south with 3 distinct views: distant south, near south-west, and semi-distant west. The sun's path plays a very important role in the design. Well lit spaces and a visual connection to the outside were a major priority. Large, high windows face south, protected by 4' deep overhangs. The west facing portion of the building is minimally glazed. This strategy effectively controlls the amount of solar gain. Operable windows at floor and ceiling level encourage "stack effect" cooling and ventilation. The spatial organization and arrangement of rooms is based on views, solar orientation, and the clients' desire for a modern, informal kitchen-dining-living open space. While all spaces are to open to each other, each maintains its own identity. The forms and proportions directly result from the clients' program responding to the site, articulated through Deck House's refined post and beam system.