Along the edge of a steeply sloping bluff overlooking the Delaware River, Hillier has designed a crisp and clean single-family residence.
The central pavilion wraps living, dining, and kitchen areas. Sheathed with glass on all four sides, it rises on eight steel columns to a wafer-thin roof line and deep overhangs. Adjoining the pavilion on one side is the conical greeting room, encased in zinc and incorporating fireplace flues into its sculpted shape. Twisting outward is the office and master bedroom wing, including indoor lap pool and exercise area.
A roof of meadow grasses brackets the other side of the pavilion and includes guest quarters, service spaces, and garage. All of these spaces are tucked into the existing slope of the site, extending the blanket of grasses across the roof and exposing a rock face along the edge of the arrival court.
Exterior wall surfaces are locally quarried stone, architectural cast-in-place concrete, or floor-to-ceiling glass. Local bluestone grounds the glass walls at the sill, and stretches out horizontally at terraces and walkways—flooring throughout the home is limestone. Custom millwork of English Sycamore is used with solid stone countertops.