Ledge House / Desai Chia Architecture

Ledge House / Desai Chia Architecture - Exterior Photography, Windows, ForestLedge House / Desai Chia Architecture - Exterior Photography, ForestLedge House / Desai Chia Architecture - Interior Photography, Table, Windows, Chair, BeamLedge House / Desai Chia Architecture - Exterior Photography, Windows, DoorLedge House / Desai Chia Architecture - More Images+ 18

Cornwall, United States
  • Design Team: Katherine Chia, Arjun Desai, Troy Lacombe, Brad Isnard
  • Fireplace Concrete Work: Get Real Surface
  • Kitchen Joinery: Bulthaup
  • City: Cornwall
  • Country: United States
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Ledge House / Desai Chia Architecture - Exterior Photography, Forest
© Paul Warchol

Text description provided by the architects. The Ledge House clients asked us to design a new home that would resonate with the history of the Connecticut Valley, include a material palette that is environmentally friendly, and works with the challenging site on a large rock ledge. We removed an existing cabin that had been expanded in unsuccessful ways over time by a previous owner; we were able to reuse the cabin’s foundation (which saved money and reduced construction waste) & add to it to simplify the footprint of the building while amplifying the program. The new footprint moved the house closer to an existing boulder- a prehistoric “glacial erratic” that was deposited along with the ledge hundreds of thousands of years ago when the glaciers formed the Appalachian Mountains.

Ledge House / Desai Chia Architecture - Exterior Photography, Windows, Forest
© Paul Warchol
Ledge House / Desai Chia Architecture - Image 20 of 23
Site plan
Ledge House / Desai Chia Architecture - Exterior Photography, Windows, Door
© Paul Warchol

The boulder is a rugged companion to the house and acts as a muse for the uphill forest views. The form of the house was inspired by indigenous barns of the area as well as the nearby, historic West Cornwall Covered Bridge. A clever structural system utilized balloon framing techniques— the beams, walls, sheathing, and a carefully calibrated nailing pattern allows the structure to perform as a unified diaphragm, eliminating the need for exposed cross bracing. The interior vaulted ceilings are open volumes of space accentuated by clean planar surfaces.

Ledge House / Desai Chia Architecture - Interior Photography, Kitchen, Table, Chair
© Paul Warchol
Ledge House / Desai Chia Architecture - Interior Photography, Living Room, Sofa, Table, Lighting, Windows, Beam
© Paul Warchol

The living room, dining room, and kitchen form the nucleus of a large breezeway through the house; the breezeway was strategically positioned to take advantage of the views to the valley, the uphill cross-ventilating breezes, and an existing boulder that becomes a rugged companion to the house and the views of the landscape. The exterior of the house is clad in Shou Sugi Ban siding which offers a rot-resistant and bug-resistant finish that also articulates the iconic form of the building. The interior finishes are light and airy.

Ledge House / Desai Chia Architecture - Interior Photography, Bedroom, Windows, Bed
© Paul Warchol

A master bedroom suite is located on one end of the house; 2 guest bedrooms are on the other end. The nucleus living area between them allows the owners and their guests to merge & socialize together in a lofted, open area that connects across the ledge to a forested terrace and a valley terrace: indoor and outdoor living flow seamlessly through.

Ledge House / Desai Chia Architecture - Exterior Photography, Windows, Forest
© Paul Warchol

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Cite: "Ledge House / Desai Chia Architecture" 24 Aug 2020. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/946169/ledge-house-desai-chia-architecture> ISSN 0719-8884

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