Description
Competition entry to enlarge the Howard Family house in upstate Pennsylvania to honor a rich heritage of stonemasons while embracing a forward-thinking approach to architecture. The site, has an spectacular 12-meter-high waterfall carved over millennia glacial waters and ancient streams. A new project that slopes into the landscape and copes with current building standards. We propose a concept where architecture is reimagined through masonry and local stone. Where architecture arises as a dialogue between the landscape, stones, river and waterfall. A system of terraces avoids any aggressive alteration to the landscape, our parti respects all trees and historical flood limits. We strive for beautiful transitions; surprise, encounter and contemplation; the river becomes a facade. Peace is the defining element where guests experience nature. All spaces have views toward the river and waterfall. Our proposal not only responds to the Howard family legacy but amplifies it; it honors the spirit of the original summer house through materiality. The project does not seek to impose itself into the landscape, but it honors nature and family values that will age gracefully.