Inside A Mansion Built On The Edge Of An Abandoned Quarry | Unique Spaces | Architectural Digest

Summary

Architect Stephen Harris discusses his design for the Bedford Quarry House, built on a unique site within an hour of New York City. The property, once a functioning quarry, now features a home that blends with its natural surroundings, utilizing the site's dramatic stone walls and water elements. Harris explains how the design takes inspiration from the natural landscape, aiming for a seamless connection between indoor and outdoor spaces. The house is crafted to evoke a sense of tranquility and discovery, with attention to detail that subtly reveals more with time.

Takeaways

• 🌿 The Bedford Quarry house is built on a challenging site, atop a 40-foot tall stone wall, offering a unique geological and architectural opportunity.
• 🏞️ The location, once a functioning quarry filled with feldspar and rose quartz, was abandoned due to water accumulation, but the site's natural beauty remains intact.
• 🏠 The architect, Stephen Harris, aimed to create a design that harmonized with the environment, incorporating the natural elements of the landscape, including water and vegetation.
• 🌳 The house was designed with the flow of light, wind, and daily life in mind, carefully considering how the family would use the space throughout the day.
• 🔀 The design incorporates the concept of liminal spaces, creating a sequence of reveals, as visitors gradually discover different aspects of the house and its surroundings.
• 📐 The architecture induces movement by offering varied views from different rooms, encouraging exploration throughout the house.
• 🍽️ The house features a practical design, including a back kitchen for functional purposes, allowing the family to maintain a clean and organized living space.
• 🛏️ The primary bedroom and bathroom are designed with comfort and practicality in mind, offering scenic views and thoughtful details to enhance daily routines.
• 🌿 The landscape design by David Kelly complements the house, creating a harmonious blend of vegetation and rock, with features like a waterfall to enhance the atmosphere of tranquility.
• 🎯 The architect’s ultimate goal was to make the house feel effortless and inevitable, blending seamlessly with its environment while offering comfort, serenity, and subtlety.

Q & A

What is the Bedford Quarry house and where is it located?

The Bedford Quarry house is a residential project designed by architect Stephen Harris. It is located within an hour of New York but gives a feeling of being much further away, like Montana.

What makes the site of the Bedford Quarry house unique?

The site is unique because it was a functioning quarry, featuring natural elements like feldspar and rose quartz. It was abandoned when water was discovered, creating a challenging yet beautiful site with water and dense vegetation.

What was the condition of the original house on the site?

There was a different house on the site before, which had fallen into disrepair. The architect and owners decided to start from scratch, designing a completely new structure.

How did the concept of ‘liminal condition’ influence the design?

The concept of a 'liminal condition,' or transitional spaces, was central to the design. As you approach the house, the design teases glimpses of the structure, and then you lose sight of it before it reveals itself again as you move closer.

How does the house integrate with the natural environment?

The house is carefully positioned to respond to the natural elements of the site, such as the light, wind, and terrain. The design also emphasizes a relationship with the water and the surrounding quarry walls.

What architectural elements induce movement in the house?

Movement is encouraged by the varying views from different rooms. Instead of giving the same view from every room, the house reveals new vistas as one moves through it, keeping the experience dynamic.

What is unique about the garage design in the Bedford Quarry house?

The garage door is designed with a single pane of glass inspired by airplane hangars. It integrates seamlessly with the rest of the house, allowing a view through both sides.

What is the concept behind the interior design of the main living space?

The main living space transitions from intimate, cave-like areas to more open, Promontory-like spaces that reveal stunning views of the quarry, dock, and waterfall.

How does the house achieve a balance between interior and exterior spaces?

The design blurs the boundary between inside and outside. The landscape is treated as part of the house, with carefully positioned terraces, window openings, and views that make the outdoors feel integrated with the interior.

What is the intention behind the subdued nature of the architecture and interior design?

The architect's goal was for the house to appear effortless and inevitable, avoiding a 'wow' factor. The design aims for subtlety, where visitors gradually notice the depth and complexity of the house, much like rewatching a movie or rereading a book to discover more layers.