The workshop and garage structures are a pair of ground-up buildings in the lower Hudson Valley, in Ulster County, New York. The client, an artist, who had purchased a large property was hoping to relocate from the space constraints of New York City. His goal was to build a workshop and studio space to work in and house his installations. A connection to nature and solitude were essential factors for creativity. The site had previously been an apple orchard and was a brownfield site with wetlands. In positioning the building, we choose an elevated location, away from the wetlands and the main road to afford privacy, but accessible via a side road. The location also had views of the woods and a pond located on the property. The 1400sft 4-car garage is a wood framed structure, with horizontal ShoiSugi Ban i.e. charred cedar on the exterior. The 3400 sft barn building is a glulam frame with structural insulated panel (SIP) infill, clad in vertical charred cedar. A single slope standing seam roof slopes toward the south to maximize the southern exposure for future solar panel installation. The interior was designed with tall ceilings and high windows to provide privacy and light in the workshop. Both buildings have thermally broken door and window systems with corten frames around the main entrances. A random rubble masonry plinth composed of bluestone sourced from the site, extends 18" above the ground level. The area between the two buildings has been landscaped to create a garden which serves as an extended outdoor workspace. A magnified steel gutter becomes an architectural element to visually connect the different forms and spaces.
Hudson Valley, NY
Under construction
4700 SQ. FT.
Commercial
Contractor: Kniffen Construction