Imagine having a home near to the reservoir and surrounded by incredibly high mountains…sounds exciting? Drinking your morning coffee while enjoying the insanely beautiful views of the neighborhood…Unbelievable right?
This is may sound dramatic to some people but it is true for some as they’re living in these houses. You may have seen the houses in the past that were amazingly designed, but we’re pretty sure that you didn’t see like this one. This house is one of the best modern house designs in this year.
We’re talking about the Shokan house, which is totally mesmerizing the people from its architecture, modern design, and style. So today we’re going to tell you all about this house. From interiors- exteriors to the location, we have not left any information about it. So keep on reading to explore this wonderful site and appreciate it’s beauty (and of course the efforts of the architects!
The Shokan House is built by Jay Bargmann, who is a famous architect. So, it is quite obvious that his house will be as great as his other building designs. Nowadays, it has become a trend that most people prefer to live in lavishing residential complexes and condos. We’re pretty sure that after reading this, your mind will blow with the designs and the amazing pictures of this house.
So, let’s look into this beautiful home which is a dream destination of many people:
The “Shokan House” is also known as “Glass box home” and “Reflective Glass House” because it has walls that are entirely made from glass. Not only this but also many other remarkable things make this house outstanding in the field of architecture. This house is completed in 2015 by an architect ‘Jay Bargmann’, who is the vice president of Rafael Vinoly Architects.
Location
The Shokan House is situated at the side of the Ashokan reservoir, which is just below the summit of a Catskill mountain, which is only 100 miles north-west of New York, United States. The house has mesmerizing views that are extended south across the reservoir range. The whole site is surrounded & covered by trees like Spruce, oak, fir, and occasional birch. You can only imagine how beautiful this house is because words can’t be able to describe the beauty of this extraordinary house.
Another interesting fact is that animals like turkey, fox, deer, hawks, and beer are the regular visitors of this place!
The location is one of the significant factors that make any architectural site more beautiful. That’s the main reason architects always first select the site, and after they finalize the location, they begin construction.
The main principle of Jay Bargmann about this house is “The whole thing should be able to be packed up and trucked away.”
Materials
To create some unique and usual, proper planning is required. From location to the building designs, everything is chosen carefully. All the elements such as steel, concrete, wood, and ceramics are selected, as they are known for their strength. The architect also uses glass to cover the sides of the house, as glass is only material from that you can achieve that luxurious and grand look.
Structure and Designs
Here are some mind baffling in-depth details of the Shokan house:
1. Entrance and Outside Area
The total area of the site is around 6000 square feet (550 sq. meters), which is enormous! The Entrance to this astonishing house is located in the east and west directions. It has a solid concrete foundation with a large vestibule. It also includes a bedroom and garage. On the porch, there is also a fireplace, and from there, the grand living room is present.
This is not an ordinary-looking living area, it is decorated with steel frames with a fascinating tree tops view from the windows. There is a circular driveway at the Shokan, which goes all the way covering the residence.
2. The Interior of The House
This house has two levels, on the first floor there is a living area, bedroom, and kitchen. The ground level is connected by the second one by stairs (which are entirely made from steel), and after it, there is a second bedroom, dining room, and a library. Yes…a library, Jay Bargmann loves to collect books, so he specifically creates this space for reading.
“From the concrete-walled vestibule with its fireplace, one turns and enters the steel-framed living room with views across treetops to the reservoir, the distant mountains, and the surrounding forest,” said Bargmann.
All the furnishings in the house are done in walnut colors to complement the structure and designs. There are cabinets painted in walnut, and surfaces are finished off with stainless steel. Everything is designed in such a way that it reflects not only the house but also nature and the reservoir.
3. The exterior of The House
The Shokan House is actually built on a boulder-faced cliff, which is quite challenging for the architects. This house also features a stone terrace and a herb garden. Yes!! Although this house is situated at such a unique location, even though you’ll find bizarre things in this house.
The exposed concrete is used to give more strength to the foundation. All the Glass enclosures are built-in “T” sections, which are perfectly secure to the foundation that also supports web joints ( located 4 feet from the center). These “T” sections are also the frames of the glass walls.
Bargmann says “The structure for the glass and the structure for the house are the same thing.”
4. Theme & Style of Shokan House
The modern and industrial look majorly inspires the interior theme of the house.
Architects wisely and beautifully use every inch of the house and create this art. There are only one or two solid walls made from concrete that are present, mainly there are only glass walls, which is another factor that makes it more remarkable than the other houses around the globe. Even though these glass walls are present, but there is still no privacy issue.
Conclusion
So, how do you feel after reading about this remarkable house? Definitely, your eyes and mind get a treat just by looking at the pictures of the Shokan House. Yes, there is no doubt that this is one of the shining gems in the architecture field. The exceptional designs and elements of the house make it one of the best modern house in current year.
