Timeless is More, Entra, March 2012

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design + architecture magazine

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in their own words | Alexander Gorlin

timeless

New York architect Alexander Gorlin explains his objective for a ho

is more

ouse above the Hudson Valley. Photography by Peter Aaron/OTTO

“The additions to the house are all to one side so as to defer to the stone farmhouse and keep its original intimate scale.”

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erched atop a hill overlooking a remarkable valley with Frederic Church’s Olana in the distance, this 1761 Dutch stone farmhouse was restored after peeling back years of vinyl and Formica clad additions. This hidden jewel on a working farm along the Hudson Valley was transformed into a home for New Yorkers while maintaining the farm along with the original barns on the property. The year “1761” is spelled out at the ends of the iron tie rods that hold the roof together so there is no mystery about the age of this historic structure. The attic floor was removed to open up the ceiling exposing the original oak beams in what is now the great room of the house, a living and dining area with views of the valley and nearby Catskill Mountains through windows in the thick stone walls.

The additions to the house are all to one side so as to defer to the stone farmhouse and keep its original intimate scale. These additions are clad in red siding and corrugated steel panels exactly like the neighboring farm structures. It appears as if the house was built over time, one pavilion after another. The new entry is into the central pavilion, an open loft space with kitchen, dining and family space. Beyond is the amazing view that opens up in Biblical proportions, the lush green valley flanked by low slung hills. It recalls nothing less than Moses viewing the Promised Land of the Jordan Valley for the first time, the land of “milk and honey”!

To the north two more pavilions are linked, one with a den and office above for the owner to write his books on historical topics and the last—the “caboose” of this train of a house—contains the master bedroom with three guest rooms above.

From the valley looking up at the house, it appears as if nothing has changed, and indeed that was the intention, a timeless combination of old and new, all in perfect harmony with each other.

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“The ‘caboose’ of this train of a house contains the master bedroom with three guest rooms above.”

“From the valley looking up at the house, it appears as if nothing has changed, and indeed that was the intention.”

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