East Hudson Residence by Robert Gross Architecture
This custom single-family residence is a renovation of an existing mid-century split-level home, purchased by an empty-nester couple located in Englewood, NJ, United States. The house’s material palette reflects the owners’ appreciation of the warmth of wood and stone elements, designed by Robert Gross Architecture in 2023. The residence employs highly energy-efficient strategies, including deep overhanging eaves for solar shading and a highly super-insulated envelope with high-performance glazing.
Leveraging The Existing Mid-Century Atmosphere
This custom single-family residence is a renovation of an existing mid-century split-level home, purchased by an empty-nester couple who wanted to retain the compact footprint of the house, thereby avoiding the full demolition and disposition of old construction materials and debris, while still future-proofing for their anticipated needs as they age-in-place.
Fulfilling The Living Needs And Preferences
Formally, the house adopts its existing footprint to the new owners’ living needs, while emphasizing the horizontality of their native Midwest environment. The house’s material palette reflects the owners’ appreciation of the warmth of wood and stone elements, including a combination of local ledgestone, northern white cedar, and shou sugi ban cypress. The interior main spaces continue this palette of natural wood and stone elements, while featuring a sweeping, curved mahogany paneled “ribbon wall” to showcase the client’s exuberant and eclectic art object collection, softly bathed by a north-facing linear skylight above.
Adaptability And Universal Design Principles Recognized
Programmatically, the split-level floor arrangement allows the Owners to navigate easily from the main level to their bedroom above or family room below. Nevertheless, a discreet hydraulic passenger lift was installed to accommodate future mobility needs. Other strategies to address the owners’ needs as they age in place include minimal level changes from indoors to outdoors, clear and barrier-free circulation, color and texture distinctions as one moves through the house, and voice-activated smart house technologies for lighting and environmental controls.
Energy-Efficient House With A Well-Insulated Envelope
And the residence employs highly energy-efficient strategies, including deep overhanging eaves for solar shading, high-efficiency heating / air conditioning systems, and a super-insulated envelope with high-performance glazing.
Photography courtesy of Robert Gross Architecture
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