Secluded Cottage Retreat Promising a Modern Lifestyle

This Cottage Home by award-winning architecture studio Method Design received a massive make-over that turned the construction into a fabulous contemporary second home resting in natural surroundings. The original building dates back to the 1960s,but the remodeling led to an impressive modern retreat rising from between mature trees. Located in New York, the modern cottage retreat is described by the talented and inspired team behind the project: “ In this significant AIA Honor Award winning Addition / Alteration to an existing 1960 a€™s Modern house on a sloped site in Pound Ridge, NY – our office was asked to reconsider three major aspects of the current condition a€“ creation of a formal entry, an addition of a master suite, and a sustainable re-cladding of the entire house. Our approach centered on a qualitative response to the inherent characteristics of the site, which included intrusion of large old growth trees into the immediate area of the house, the dramatic coloration of the site’s seasonal foliage, and the daily use of the occupants which prescribed clear articulation of private and public space.

 Our response to these challenges entailed floating a new master suite on a forest of columns that reinforce an existing line of trees and create a procession towards the newly organized formal entry suspended underneath.  The columns themselves operate as a sophisticated structural system where each tips towards a projected point at the center of gravity, giving an innovative balance, stability and equilibrium to the new addition.  The cladding begins to conceptually organize and index the interior space.   Public areas are detailed with a rain screen of warm cedar finishes reflecting the outdoor environment in which they are situated. ” Spotted on Trendir , the 500 square feet addition prides itself on improving the lifestyle of the inhabitants while offering them exceptional landscapes and fresh air. Scroll down to see the floor plan and a few photos taken during the construction. How many of you would be up for a challenge like this?