Dezeen Magazine

Red Rock House by Anmahian Winton Architects sits on a forested New York hillside

This house in rural New York state by Anmahian Winton Architects is made up of timber-clad volumes that project from a hillside towards views of the surrounding forest (+ slideshow).

Red Rock House by Anmahian Winton Architects

Anmahian Winton Architects from Cambridge, Massachusetts, designed the property for a steeply sloping plot near the town of Red Rock, flanked on one side by a rocky ledge and on another by an incline that falls down towards a creek.

Red Rock House by Anmahian Winton Architects

According to a statement from the architects: "These dramatic elements informed the siting of the buildings and the ways that landscape, views, and daylight could be integrated into the design."

Red Rock House by Anmahian Winton Architects

Landscape studio Reed-Hilderbrand was consulted to advise on how best to retain the site's natural topography and preserve the overall condition of the forest, while also creating a series of architectural interventions.

Red Rock House by Anmahian Winton Architects

A levelled terrace lined on one side by a long concrete retaining wall provides a plateau for the buildings and gardens.

Red Rock House by Anmahian Winton Architects

A guesthouse abuts this wall and projects back towards the forest to the rear, while the main house rises to the same level from a second terrace carved into the lower portion of the site.

Red Rock House by Anmahian Winton Architects

"The project embraces a 'machine in the garden' design approach, where contemporary vocabulary and minimal form underscore the relationship between built work and natural landscape," said the architects.

Red Rock House by Anmahian Winton Architects

A large terrace sheltered beneath a pergola extends from the side of the guest house to create an outdoor seating area. A fireplace is built into the retaining wall to warm this area during colder months.

Red Rock House by Anmahian Winton Architects

A paved path links the guest house's entrance with the main house and continues to a deck that cantilevers towards the canopies of the nearby trees.

Red Rock House by Anmahian Winton Architects

The exteriors of the two buildings are clad in western red cedar boards with a prominent grain. The boards are fitted within rows of vertical bays to create an ordered aesthetic.

Red Rock House by Anmahian Winton Architects

The natural wood contrasts with manmade materials, including the aluminium latticed screens that cover the entrances of both buildings and help to screen the interiors from the southern sun.

Red Rock House by Anmahian Winton Architects

"A minimal materials palette evokes both rusticity and precision, reflecting the juxtaposed orders of landscape and architecture," the architects added.

Red Rock House by Anmahian Winton Architects

Full-height glazing on the ground and first floors of the main house is surrounded by zinc tiles, while shiny metal chimneys emerge from the roof.

Red Rock House by Anmahian Winton Architects

The interiors of the two buildings are painted entirely in white to emphasise views of the surrounding landscape and provide a neutral backdrop for the owner's art collection.

Red Rock House by Anmahian Winton Architects

Photography is by Jane Messinger.


Project credits: 

Team: Nick Winton, AIA (Principal in Charge) and Alex Anmahian, AIA (Consulting Principal), Makoto Abe (Project Architect), Sydney Thiel (LEED AP) and Mazen Sakr (Design Team)
Structural Engineer: RSE Associates, Inc.
Civil Engineer: Morris Associates P.L.L.C.
Landscape Consultants: Reed Hilderbrand LLC Landscape Architecture
General Contractor: Lou Boxer Builder, Inc.

Red Rock House by Anmahian Winton Architects
Concept diagram – click for larger image
Red Rock House by Anmahian Winton Architects
Site plan – click for larger image
Red Rock House by Anmahian Winton Architects
Lower level floor plan – click for larger image
Red Rock House by Anmahian Winton Architects
Entry level floor plan – click for larger image
Red Rock House by Anmahian Winton Architects
Upper level floor plan – click for larger image