A Stone And Glass Country House Half-Hidden Behind A Slope

When you find a site that has a stunning view and is surrounded by amazing landscape you involuntary start to imagine how it would be like to actually live there. In some cases these dreams are turned into reality. One gorgeous example is a house designed and built by Slade Architecture. It’s situated on a gently sloping site in Hudson Valley, a rural area north of New York.

The house is composed of two volumes placed perpendicularly on top of one another
The house is composed of two volumes placed perpendicularly on top of one another

The entire property covers an area of 220 acres and is surrounded by an organic farm and some really beautiful landscape which is why the house was designed in this particular way. By that we mean this is a house made of weathered steel and lots of glass. The weathered steel gives it a lived in look and helps it blend into the surroundings and the glass offers it transparency and exposes it to the views.

The upper level acts as a bridge between suspended between the lower volume and the hillside
The upper level acts as a bridge between suspended between the lower volume and the hillside
Part of the roof of the lower level is an open terrace and the rest is covered in greenery
Part of the roof of the lower level is an open terrace and the rest is covered in greenery

The architects had two main objectives when designing this unusual country home: to create a strong connection to the landscape through transparency and giving the homeowners the privacy that they desired. These may seem like opposing objectives but somehow the team managed to make both happen. The fact that this is a sloping site was the key. The house is structured into two large volumes placed one on top of the other. The lower level is almost completely hidden because of the topography and is only revealed when getting close to the house. In other words, this is a house that draws you in.

The top floor has glazed walls which frame the marvelous panoramic views and let the outdoors in
The top floor has glazed walls which frame the marvelous panoramic views and let the outdoors in
The lower volume is clad in locally-sourced stone which brings in closer to the landscape and helps it blend with the ground
The lower volume is clad in locally-sourced stone which brings in closer to the landscape and helps it blend with the ground
The rooftop terrace acts as an extension for the main living area situated on the upper level
The rooftop terrace acts as an extension for the main living area situated on the upper level
The social area has an open floor plan and is long and linear, ending with a cozy seating area framed by great views on two sides
The social area has an open floor plan and is long and linear, ending with a cozy seating area framed by great views on two sides
The interior design is contemporary and uses a select palette of materials including marble, wood and leather
The interior design is contemporary and uses a select palette of materials including marble, wood and leather
The onsite trees were turned into wooden cabinetry and ceiling panels
The onsite trees were turned into wooden cabinetry and ceiling panels
The stone-clad lower volume houses the bedrooms and has small windows with external shutters made of weathered steel
The stone-clad lower volume houses the bedrooms and has small windows with external shutters made of weathered steel
This bathroom has a very inviting and sauna-like feel due to all the wood
This bathroom has a very inviting and sauna-like feel due to all the wood