The Rossetter house continues the investigation into site and architectural integration that was begun with the Shawangunk Ridge and Bridgecreek Road Houses, and the Sam’s Point Conservation Center. With the Rossetter Residence the site is more challenging; a plateau overlooking a steep ravine with a natural wetland and creek below. A panoramic view of the Shawangunk Mountains dominates the view to the north; while the entry court yard opens to meadows and woods in the south.
The house follows the natural contour of the ridge with the main fireplace and chimney anchoring the separate volumes of the living/dining room, kitchen/service and mudroom, and master bedroom and bath. The house is framed in heavy timber with a cable truss structural system allowing clear spans over the entire 44-foot long living room. The timbers run through the glass walls, framing the eaves and tying the structure visually to the landscape. The entire floor is poured concrete with an embedded high-efficiency radiant heating system, the roof is galvalume with BA’s unique “umbrella roof” system for passive cooling, and the fire place is a high efficiency convective chamber system constructed from native fieldstone. A large terrace and screened porch connect the upper level to the site.
The lower level contains two bedrooms, family room, storage and mechanical rooms and opens directly to the ravine and surrounding landscape. The house is clad in naturally colored fiber cement siding installed over a vented rain-screen wall system.