A Minimalist Retreat Nestled Among the Catskills
Group Projects Architecture, based in Brooklyn, has completed a striking long gabled house in the Catskills, New York. Clad in black corrugated metal, the 2,800-square-foot home is designed to blend harmoniously with its natural surroundings, offering a serene retreat with sweeping views of the Catskills Mountains.
Architectural Approach and Site Context
The house sits on a 30-acre parcel, shielded by a rocky ridge to the north. This strategic positioning minimizes exposure to prevailing winds and ensures a more secluded, tranquil location, avoiding the need to clear trees for construction. Residents access the home via a winding driveway, which leads into a clearing that also houses a guest house and pool.
The architects created an intimate forecourt by excavating land from the downslope of the ridge and casting a concrete wall between the house and the slope. This adds a contrasting experience to the wide-open meadow on the opposite side of the building.
Material Palette and Design Details
The home’s exterior is unified by black corrugated metal cladding that wraps both the facades and the roof. This material choice evokes the textures of the natural landscape, while the waves of the corrugated metal give the forms subtle depth. Large, floor-to-ceiling glass windows on the long sides of the house maximize views of the surrounding landscape, while smaller, symmetrical rectangular windows punctuate the short sides.
The steep gabled roofs and long overhangs help integrate the structure with the environment, with open eaves and painted rafter tails adding rhythm and detail to the design.
Interior Layout and Features
Inside, the central entrance hall divides the private primary sleeping spaces to the north from the more communal areas and secondary bedrooms to the south. The communal spaces, including the living, kitchen, and dining rooms, feature vaulted gable ceilings, their gentle curves diffusing light in a soft, cloud-like manner. The private rooms are more intimate, with lower ceiling heights that create a sense of coziness and warmth.
The living areas are defined by four linear blocks of warm Douglas fir veneer millwork, which serve multiple functions: housing the attic stair, concealing kitchen appliances, serving as a kitchen counter, and enclosing the living room fireplace. These blocks introduce both form and function to the space, and the fireplace includes cast-in-place concrete for durability.
Interior Palette and Materials
The interior features a minimalist palette with white walls and ceilings, grey concrete floors, and dark bronze-coloured aluminium sliding door frames. This restrained colour scheme complements the exterior metal cladding and enhances the sense of calm and unity throughout the home.
Group Projects Architecture’s Catskills house is a modern, minimalist retreat that prioritizes serenity and connection to the landscape. Through its thoughtful use of materials and design, the house integrates seamlessly with its surroundings while offering a calm and functional space for its residents