HGX Design’s Illuminating Approach Harnesses Light to Define Boundaries
HGX Design, a firm engaged in select projects of varying scale for commercial, hospitality, and residential clients, proudly introduces Hudson Valley Residence, a ground-up home built on a ridge overlooking the Catskill Mountains. The home was commissioned for a client with multiple residences who envisioned a retreat providing scenic views of the surrounding mountains, serenity, and a gathering place for family. The centerpiece of a 35-acre property, the elongated home runs from north to south on the highest point of the property, with views of the mountain range to the west.
Expansive glass panelling immediately draws attention into the home, while simultaneously framing the mountainous horizon beyond. In contrast to the vertical ascent, and the massive verticality of the mountain range to the west, the home itself extends horizontally along the entirety of the ridge. Comprised of a series of utilitarian, simple form buildings with a repetitive vertical rhythm, the home’s elongated footprint is reminiscent of the long, low-lying characteristics of agricultural buildings that dot the surrounding regional landscape.
A seamless blend of earth and sky
Custom-stained external cedar siding, a classic and durable material, provides an inspirational nod to the character of the home’s agricultural neighbors. The siding harmoniously blends with 13-foot glass panels that provide the home with breathtaking transparency, and the materials interact with the sun to capture the colors of the surrounding earth and sky. On hot, sunny days, natural light filters through the expansive windows to interact with the silvery wash of the interior’s custom-stained walnut flooring, infusing cooler accents of blue into the interior. At night, or when the weather outside is cooler, warmer tones emerge from the color and material palette.
- Photo credit: Scott Frances
- Photo credit: Scott Frances
- Photo credit: Scott Frances
- Photo credit: Scott Frances
- Photo credit: Scott Frances
- Photo credit: Scott Frances
Transparent boundaries
The intimacy of the home’s smartly laid out spaces defy the traditional expectations of an open plan, with 11.5-foot ceilings throughout. Each space is just one-room deep, or approximately 28 feet wide, injecting a uniform purity into the totality of the volumes. Separations are defined by sunlight during the day, and artificial light at night, and the free-flowing spaces benefit from airflow from east to west, as well as north to south. There are no barriers to the visual or physical flow of the home, and a series of internal textures, including brickwork and exposed ceiling beams, further soak up the elements to introduce their unique interactive qualities.
- Photo credit: Scott Frances
- Photo credit: Scott Frances
- Photo credit: Scott Frances
- Photo credit: Scott Frances
- Photo credit: Scott Frances
- Photo credit: Scott Frances
Distinctions of light
Artificial lighting is kept to a minimum, with recessed lighting focusing on the art, walls, and centers of activity within the house. Between the living spaces, lighting levels drop off, further contributing to perceptions of separation between a series of intimately lit spaces. A few decorative fixtures are also strategically placed to provide added focus and intimacy to the spaces they illuminate.
- Photo credit: Scott Frances
- Photo credit: Scott Frances
- Photo credit: Scott Frances
- Photo credit: Scott Frances
About HGX Design
Founded in 2020 by Hal Goldstein, HGX Design is a New York City-based creative studio grounded in the fundamentals of architecture and design. Intuitive enough to improvise, the studio adapts those principles and practices to each of its projects, whether urban and rural, for corporate, commercial, and residential clients. With offices in New York City and Bridgehampton, HGX Design’s mission is focused on creating spaces that inspire human connection and fulfillment.