Location: Irvington, NY
Project Type: New Construction
Lot Size: 40,000 sq ft
Building Size: 6,000 sq ft
Contractor: Chilmark Builders, Inc
This river retreat was built for a retired couple looking for a comfortable and modest residence that would allow them to easily enjoy their scenic property and its amenities. Besides a large covered porch facing the Hudson River, the clients requested all of the living spaces to be on the ground floor level, with an upper level guest suite for visiting children and grandchildren.
In answer to these requirements, the house is designed in a Gothic Revival style, chosen for its steep gables, (enabling the second-floor program to be better concealed), and characteristic full-width porches. The challenge was to configure the large program into a house the scale of which one might encounter in the mid-1800’s.
The grand veranda becomes the organizing element, with the major volume of the house located behind it, facing the view. The other three elevations are articulated not only to minimize the building’s mass, but also to relate to their specific site conditions. Period details are incorporated throughout to enable the retreat to feel as though it had been sitting on its gracious property since 1850.
