RGR Landscape was retained by a private client to design a new home in Nyack, NY on sloping land that overlooks the Hudson River. As viewed from the street, the front façade is an unobtrusive single story above ground level. Away from the street, as the site begins to slope downward, the house expands to include two lower levels, allowing expansive views of the river from all three floors. Sustainability was emphasized throughout the design process, including the use of environmentally responsible materials and equipment whenever possible, careful placement of windows to allow passive cooling during the summer, and a system of surface swales, infiltration trenches, and surface retention ponds around the perimeter to divert, filter, and absorb rainwater. The landscape plan for the house was designed to provide a natural context as well as a sense of privacy. Along the street and the neighboring properties, native woodland plantings create a natural buffer and provide shade. The woodland habitat then gives way to open meadow grasses and wildflowers on the steeper land sloping down to the river.
