Architect Sharon Davis Builds Herself an Eco-Retreat Next to an Historic Upstate Road
The Old Albany Post Road is a 6.6-mile historic supply route in Philipstown, New York and one of the oldest unpaved roads still in use. One of the most charming places through which it winds is a hamlet called Garrison, where NYC-based architect Sharon Davis has had a house for more than 20 years. The visionary first bought the 70-acre plot to protect its land from developers, but ended up building herself a new home that is both cozy and modern, as well as an homage to the historic nature of the old road.
Standing between 70 acres of fields and the Old Albany Post Road, Davis’s new home stands only a few steps away from the original house she bought. She tasked herself with designing a small property with a light environmental touch that was still modern, luxurious and very comfortable.
The two-level home is only 900 square feet, but feels larger thanks to its minimal decoration, open spaces, and integration with its old, green surroundings.
Davis’s design has two faces–the Old Albany Post Road’s side is discreet and minimal, but in the rear, the façade is sliced in half and almost completely glazed. These fully retractable windows, located both on the ground and upper floor, brings the outside in and let in plenty of natural light.
Among its highlights are a series of patios and stairs, as well as a large flower meadow that uses only native plants and connects the new with the original, red property that still stands nearby. The wood used in this home was mainly reclaimed, such as salvaged pine and found oak, used vertically for the exterior cladding. The architect also designed all the furniture in the house, as it was custom‐made to maximize the use of the small interior footprint.
As humble and petite as it looks, the residence is heated and cooled down by geothermal energy and insulated with soy foam to naturally reduce its environmental impact.
See other sustainable beauties by Sharon Davis here.
[Via Architecture Lab]
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