Ledge House | Desai Chia Architecture

Ledge House

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. 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.

photography by © 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. 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.

photography by © Paul Warchol

Project Info:
Architects: Desai Chia Architecture
Location: Cornwall,United States
Area: 2400 ft²
Project Year: 2019
Photographs: Paul Warchol
Manufacturers: Arcadia Custom, AutoDesk, Bulthaup, Gaggenau, Get Real Surfaces, Kebony, Liebherr, Michael Anastassiades, Ortal, Pac-Clad, Akari Light Sculptures by Isamu Noguchi, CEA Design, Cohen, Delta Millworks, Duravit, Flos, Home Frefinements, Kallista, Madera-Trade, McNeel, Peter Brooks Stone Works, The Builder Depot, Velux, Zen Bathworks