Lantern Ridge House

Architect: Studio MM Architect
Location: Kerhonkson, NY
Completed: 2015
Photography: Brad Feinknopf

Perched at the top of a wooded knoll in the Hudson Valley, the Lantern Ridge House accentuates mountain views while camouflaging itself in the densely forested environment. At night, the typically obscured house becomes a beacon for passing cars and a guiding light for our homeward-bound clients. The home is focused on a single gathering space through which the 2,200 SF structure becomes at once intimate and expansive, private and public. Oriented to face both sunrise and sunset, this hinge point is created by the convergence of two private wings that contain separated accommodations for our clients and their guests. A continuous wood ceiling shelters an exterior deck and the glass façade, which focuses expansive views, connects the clients with the immediate natural environment, and provides a consistently sunlit space.

The project’s strong connection to the environment provided opportunities to utilize materials and technologies that would enhance and sustain the very nature from which the house draws its strength. The angled roof maximizes daylight in winter and minimizes solar heating in summer, while strategically placed windows and doors allow summer breezes to cool the house. In-floor radiant heat and an efficient wood stove keep the home cozy during snowy upstate winters. The pine ceiling and dark siding, which integrate the house within the surrounding forest, were sourced from a local mill, and the concrete floors provide a durable finish. The entryway to the house boasts a handcrafted bench made from a tree formerly on the property—designed by the architect and built by the contractors, the bench embodies the collective spirit of the house.

The primary goal of the project was to create a home that responds to and enhances its natural surroundings while catering to the flexible needs of a client that craves both private reflection and social engagement.