Forest Edge House by Marc Thorpe
Forest Edge House lands in Roscoe, United States, as a compact, solar-powered house by Marc Thorpe. Set on a wooded slope in the western Catskills, the 1,500-square-foot, two-story home pairs an open living core with a 25-foot cantilevered steel deck reaching into the trees. Built by Edifice Upstate and furnished by Ligne Roset, it balances self-reliant systems with a measured, rural clarity.
A hard-edged silhouette meets soft needles and filtered sky. The approach runs past pine and under brush before the volume lifts toward a line of trees.
This is a compact, two-story house in Roscoe, United States, designed by Marc Thorpe with off‑grid intent at its core. The project sits in the western Catskills and treats the forest and climate as active partners, aligning material choices and energy systems with the rhythms of the site.
Meet The Tree Line
The house holds to the forest edge, then reaches out on a 25-foot cantilevered steel deck. From there, the canopy becomes company. The deck extends daily life into the trees, catching morning shade and evening breeze while clearing the understory below. A simple form reads clean against the slope, rural in stance yet tuned to light.
Power The Home
Twenty-four monocrystalline panels feed a 15K inverter and lithium iron phosphate battery bank, producing about 38 kWh each day. The system shrinks dependence and steadies seasonal swings. Radiant floor heating quietly anchors winter use, storing warmth in the building mass and freeing the rooms from ducts. Energy is treated as infrastructure, not afterthought.
Open Plan, Daily Life
Inside, living, kitchen, and dining run together for a clear, social core. Three bedrooms and two full baths bracket that center, making a tight 1,500-square-foot plan work for daily routine and guests. Furnishings from a single house (Ligne Roset) keep lines consistent without visual noise. It feels direct and workable.
Clad For The Woods
FSC-certified natural pine wraps the exterior, taking on the forest’s tone over time. Grain reads underhand; boards catch shadow and shed water with quiet discipline. The cladding choice ties material impact to place: managed timber, renewable energy, and a measured envelope. Rural vernacular cues guide the casing and trim, pared to essentials.
Slope, Scale, Setting
Set on three acres, the house sits into a soft grade and leaves clear ground around the base. That stance protects roots and frames long views through trees. The volume stays compact for thermal sense and land impact—small enough to heat efficiently, tuned enough to breathe with the seasons.
At dusk, deck light sifts through branches and the pine shell goes warm. Wind brushes needles and the battery hum stays low, steady, and sure. The house hangs at the edge of the woods, working with what’s given and giving back in kind.
Photography by Clay Banks
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