The Mirror-House – Contemporary Design At The Heart of Nature

by Paul Ciocoiu · January 6, 2016

We have taken a great interest in presenting all sorts of homes, most of them small dwellings, built at the heart of wilderness to allay that call of nature many people feel. This time, the appetite for the environment unspoiled by civilization has reached a hard to imagine level, reflected in a genuine mirror-house. It is the story of some people who answered nature’s call in a very original manner, by building a home which totally integrates in the surrounding environment, especially visually.

The building is even more fascinating since it was raised on a rocky outcrop, in a forest in the US state of New York, close to the Pound Ridge town. Called the Pound Ridge House, the dwelling is situated on a south-facing site that rises over 30 meters as it ascends from a wetland to the top of a ridge, according to contemporary design specialized website Dezeen.com

“The owners were drawn to the almost magical sense of tranquility they felt upon their first visit to this heavily forested land, striped with loose-laid fieldstone farm walls from the 19th century,” said architecture firm KieranTimberlake, which is based in Philadelphia. “They wanted to live in a ‘house in the woods, of the woods’ – to feel the presence of the forest indoors and to commune quietly with nature and visit with guests within naturally lit, open, airy, warm rooms,” added the firm.

The mirror-house – one of the wings was built on a rock

The house consists of two wings, with the volumes – one single level, the other double level – being connected by a glass-enclosed bridge. A small ravine runs between them. The first wing houses the living room, dining room, kitchen, a small bathroom and a media space, with access to an outdoor covered terrace. The two level volume is the bedroom wing, with the lower level containing a garage, a workshop, a wine cellar and the main entry.

The exterior walls of the house are clad in four different materials: zinc-coated copper, brushed stainless steel, polished stainless steel and glass. The polished stainless steel – the most prominent cladding – acts as a mirror and reflects the surrounding terrain and sky. Here are some pictures best describing this amazing home in the woods.