Chatham Residence.

The Chatham Residence, Guest House, Farm & Pond Pavilion sits on 80 acres in Columbia County, NY. When we first visited the property, it was largely second-growth forest crisscrossed by stone walls that had once marked off pastures and fields - a reminder that the area’s legacy of ranching and farming continues to this day.

During those initial walks around the hillside, our clients spoke about their desire for a new life away from New York City. Instead of simply envisioning a second residence whose use would be limited to remote workdays or leisurely weekends, they were seeking an analog connection to the natural ecosystem and human history.

While the client’s ideas about their future took shape, we thought carefully about the connection between architecture and a crest that points to the Catskill Mountains in the far distance. We also considered the surrounding forest: much of the understory was still clear, allowing tree trunks to extend skyward like columns, and the shadows cast by the leafy canopy revealed arcs of light and shadow that playfully shifted with the sunlight.

We sited the residence on the crest and placed floor-to-ceiling glass on the forest- and Catskills-facing sides of its social rooms. As you approach the house, the open midsection reveals the vista of the mountains, and inside the clients enjoy views from the forest understory to the tree canopy to the sky. Meanwhile, the roof was inspired by native oak leaves. Curved overhangs provide shade and protection from the elements while also casting shadows that mimic nature.

The house uses corrugated metal siding as its main sheathing, which appears as a continuous ripple that traces the curved shapes. We decided on corrugated metal for its duality- a rugged material frequently used in contemporary farm buildings, as well as an elegant surface that captures light with minimalist precision. Plain-sawn accoya wood accents the corrugated metal details at the covered outdoor seating areas and the underside of the overhangs. We used the highly textured material to define interior passageways and the primary bedroom, too.

Inside, we accentuated layers of light and shadow. Ceilings are vaulted to capture and bounce both sun and electric light into unexpected places. The ceilings of the living room, dining room, and kitchen employ curved corners to blur the boundaries between walls and ceiling in a cloud of luminosity. Daylight cascades through hidden clerestory windows in the entry hall and primary bathroom.