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Transcript: Marica McKeel, Owner and Architect, Studio MM
Simply Inspired
The clients came to us and their biggest inspiration was Philip Johnson’s “Glass House.”
What they loved about the Glass House was obviously all of the glass and feeling like you’re in this glass box in the woods. But it’s also about the simplicity. Simple living, just the essentials. That was really what they were after.
The Approach
As you approach the house, you see the house above you, perched up on a small cliff. That’s your first introduction to it, so you know what you’re coming to.
But, as you come up the driveway, the door is actually hidden. As soon as you walk in the door, you’re looking straight at the view, and there’s this huge, beautiful window in front of you. And so that is that welcome to our home, with this gorgeous view and you know the point of the space.
Indoor, Outdoor, and More
The project became about a glass box, but more than that, it was more of the volumes pulled apart, with the glass box in the center. With the windows on either side, very much indoor-outdoor living. It was completely about the view to the east, which was the main view, and then the view to the west, which was this cliff. In this glass box, you could really experience both worlds and just being in that space was really amazing.
Indoor-outdoor living is really what we’re all after here in the Hudson Valley, so our projects have a lot of windows. In the more private spaces, that’s where we’re really using the windows to frame the view. There’s a band of windows that looks out on that eastern view. They don’t have to go to the floor, because it’s the bedroom, so there’s a little bit of privacy, but you’re still getting this continuous view out.
In the living space and in that front entryway, it’s floor-to-ceiling windows, and this sliding door that opens up and they can just expand their living area onto both decks.
Focus on Efficiency
One thing that’s important to us, and to our clients, is comfort and energy efficiency — in that we’re designing this glass box. With that, the choice of Marvin windows allows us to have 11-foot windows, but also know that our clients are going to remain warm.
Working Together on the Perfect Home
The collaborative process with the client is what we love the most, and it’s what we get the most out of. It’s what makes each house unique because it’s really about our clients. They bring to us how they live and what their inspiration is, and we work together to figure out their perfect home.
Visit another McKeel project in the Hudson Valley, “Tranquil Abiding,” featuring a meditation space, on-site quarried stone construction, and more.
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