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Chatham Residence
Chatham Residence
Columbia County, NY, United States
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Other Projects by Desai Chia Architecture PC
Chatham Residence
Columbia County, NY, United States
Type
STATUS
Built
YEAR
2025
SIZE
3000 sqft - 5000 sqft
BUDGET
Undisclosed
The Chatham Residence sits on 80 acres of largely second-growth forest crisscrossed by stone walls that had once marked off pastures and fields: a reminder that the area’s legacy of ranching and farming continues to this day. These traces of human intervention, softened by time and regrowth, offered an immediate sense of continuity between land, history, and use.
During our initial walks across the hillside, the clients spoke about their desire for a new life away from New York City. Their vision emphasized presence, slowness, and daily engagement with the landscape. We carefully considered the relationship between architecture and the crest of the hill, which points toward the Catskill Mountains in the far distance. The surrounding forest also played a critical role in shaping the design. Much of the understory remained clear, allowing tree trunks to extend skyward like columns, while the leafy canopy cast shifting arcs of light and shadow that animated the ground below throughout the day.
We sited the residence along the crest and placed floor-to-ceiling glass on both sides of its social spaces. As one approaches the house, the open glazed midsection frames the distant mountains, while the interior offers layered views from the forest floor to the canopy and sky beyond. The roof, inspired by native oak leaves, curves outward to provide shade and protection, casting shadows that echo natural patterns.
Corrugated metal siding wraps the exterior as a continuous ripple, tracing the home’s curved forms. Chosen for its duality, the material references agricultural buildings while capturing light with refined precision. Plain-sawn accoya wood accents outdoor seating areas, overhangs, and interior passageways, bringing warmth and texture throughout. Inside, vaulted ceilings and curved corners amplify light, blurring boundaries and allowing daylight to cascade through hidden clerestory windows, creating a luminous and immersive interior experience.
During our initial walks across the hillside, the clients spoke about their desire for a new life away from New York City. Their vision emphasized presence, slowness, and daily engagement with the landscape. We carefully considered the relationship between architecture and the crest of the hill, which points toward the Catskill Mountains in the far distance. The surrounding forest also played a critical role in shaping the design. Much of the understory remained clear, allowing tree trunks to extend skyward like columns, while the leafy canopy cast shifting arcs of light and shadow that animated the ground below throughout the day.
We sited the residence along the crest and placed floor-to-ceiling glass on both sides of its social spaces. As one approaches the house, the open glazed midsection frames the distant mountains, while the interior offers layered views from the forest floor to the canopy and sky beyond. The roof, inspired by native oak leaves, curves outward to provide shade and protection, casting shadows that echo natural patterns.
Corrugated metal siding wraps the exterior as a continuous ripple, tracing the home’s curved forms. Chosen for its duality, the material references agricultural buildings while capturing light with refined precision. Plain-sawn accoya wood accents outdoor seating areas, overhangs, and interior passageways, bringing warmth and texture throughout. Inside, vaulted ceilings and curved corners amplify light, blurring boundaries and allowing daylight to cascade through hidden clerestory windows, creating a luminous and immersive interior experience.
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