All-glass house inspired by the Pompidou Center in Paris

This unique glass and steel house was designed and engineered by the renowned Barbara Corwin, whose work is lauded for its striking creativity and brilliant composition. Sought after by a long list of hopeful clients, Corwin only accepts the most profound challenges. She has certainly proved her prowess with this unique and stunning show home.

This ultra modern all-glass house was inspired by the world famous Pompidou Center in Paris, home of the French Museum of Modern Art, designed in the late 1970s by Richard Rogers and Renzo Piano.

When the architect Richard Rogers received the coveted Pritzker Prize in 2007, the jury noted that the large pipes and exposed mechanicals of the Pompidou Center had "turned the architecture world upside down."

The house also evokes the prismatic cubes and vast glass planes of the work of Richard Meier and the Gwathmey-Siegel partnership.

Distinct and dramatic architecture

This 4500 square foot glass house with 3 or 4 bedrooms and 3? baths is an inspiring work of distinct and dramatic architecture. In a bold architectural proclamation, this home is enclosed only by glass and its structural and mechanical systems are exposed in the open, including its steel beams, air ducts, heating shafts, radiators and staircases. The result is a stunning showpiece: an all glass house that is truly unique and spectacular.

One floor of the home is actually a cantilevered mezzanine overlooking the main living area. Its partially glass floor allows natural skylight to reach the floor beneath while simultaneously creating an artistic lighting source from below for the mezzanine area. This kind of bold and wowing architecture is typical of the distinct and dramatic design principals used in conceptualizing this one-of-a-kind residence ? like the floating spiral stairway suspended in the home's central gallery. It stretches four stories to the observation deck, where a modern replica of the cylindrical glassed-in lantern room atop the Hudson Lighthouse in Hudson, NY affords a 360? panoramic view and anchors this home's ultra modern style with its nautical location along the Hudson River.

Focus on energy efficient, green building techniques

A focus on green building led to the use of extremely energy-efficient glass panes and doors. Houses with extensive windows are typically plagued with high heating and cooling costs because of the low thermal insulation value of regular glass. But, this home was constructed with specialized glass that has a thermal insulation value of R16 which, amazingly, is more efficient than regular walls in a traditional home (which typically offer only an R12 insulation value). And a state-of-the-art transparent coating was incorporated into the manufacturing process to allow bright and natural sunlight to shine through while blocking harmful rays known to fade floors and furniture and produce hot spots in the summer.

Asking Price: $3,450,000 

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Commercial grade components

Less noticeable although equally notable is the use of all commercial-grade components and impressive engineering of the mechanical systems, which assures a reliability and performance unknown in normal residential construction. A commercial-grade sophisticated HVAC system features a special dual control fresh-air damper which brings mountain fresh air inside to enjoy comfortable climate controlled temperatures year-round with the freshness of the mountain air outside. Economically fueled by natural gas (especially with today's oil prices), the system was capacity-designed to efficiently maintain a comfortable and consistent climate on even the coldest or hottest days.

High-quality building materials like coated copper downspouts and commercial roofing surfaces protect the home from nature's harshest storms and winters.

Mountaintop setting with breathtaking river views and 10,000 acres of privacy

Composed of almost four breathtaking acres at the top of a mountain, with panoramic views of the Hudson River. The property is surrounded on three sides by more than 1600 acres of preserved parklands and undisturbed forests. On a clear day, the view spans seventy-five miles.

The north and east of the property is bordered by E. P. Roe Memorial Park, a small grassy bluff named after the famous poet who found endless hours of inspiration here contemplating the river view in the 1800s, and Round Top Park offering forty-two acres of buffer.

The view to the south overlooks Storm King Mountain State Park, which preserves over one-thousand acres of lush green riverbank carved millennia ago the same as it was when Henry Hudson sailed four-hundred years ago.

The vista on the opposite riverbank includes 10,000 acres of uninhabited evergreens along the River's edge, part of the Hudson Highlands Parklands.

The contours of the property are perfect for the addition of an infinity or negative edge swimming pool.

Interior

A Liveable Work of Art

Every corner and every element is an unusual surprise ? like the custom-designed contemporary fireplace with a two-story exposed, stainless steel, dual-flue visible from inside; or the double-etched translucent glass panels enclosing the lavatories that provide privacy and ambient lighting from the main living areas.

Perfect for Formal or Casual Living

But more importantly, this home's unique design is as perfectly suited for formal entertaining as it is for casual living and allows for flexible uses with convenient amenities. A guest bedroom suite with adjoining sitting room could serve equally well as a home office, exercise room or children's playroom. The media room, with concealed minibar and sliding doors to a private deck with panoramic views could be used as another bedroom. Altogether, with pull-out sofas and casual living, this house can comfortably sleep twelve adults.

The observation deck on the fifth level with 360? views is ideal for secluded sunbathing, celebratory cocktail parties or romantic moonlit stargazing.

Amenities

The main Kitchen area with breakfast nook has a double Sub-Zero? refrigerator with pull-out drawer freezers, two Miele? dishwashers, a DCS? stove, indoor BBQ, butler's pantry, garbage compactor and disposal. (A second catering kitchen is located in the heated garage.) Of course, the basics like a laundry chute and built-in ironing board are included.

A sophisticated and elaborate but surprisingly simple-to-use low-voltage lighting system can create multiple ambiances, whether it's for elegant entertaining, daily dining, a romantic evening, a holiday or family gathering, a Super Bowl party, or for reading a bedside book.

The house is wired for distributed audio and video throughout (inside and outside) and high-speed Internet access.

There is ample closet and storage space (including 1200 square feet in the basement).

The Best Materials Available Worldwide

Corwin requisitioned only the best materials, including green and eco-friendly materials whenever possible. The floors are made of premium wide-plank quarter sawn white oak hardwood which is considered by many the most stable and beautiful wood in the world. The art of quarter sawing oak, like many traditions and practices of centuries past, produces a superior grain compared to modern plain sawing techniques that are easier, cheaper and quicker but produce far inferior lumber. The fine floors are actually made of the same wood and sawing technique used to make violins and guitars.

		Corwin considered marble and granite patterns found in the best quarries worldwide. To meet the challenging and stringent requirements of "rare beauty and durable function" the final choice for exterior walking stones was a rare golden-hued marble quarried from the Tennessee Mountains to match the colorful sunsets over the property. Inside, where a special stone was required in bathrooms to capture and radiate the warmth of brilliant sunrises blaring through the windows, a perfect sandy pearl limestone was imported by sea from France.
The custom cabinets in the kitchen and master bedroom and bathroom were handmade at the builder's local mill shop with exotic Anigre wood which grows primarily in Ghana and the Ivory Coast of Africa. This selection further demonstrates the responsible and environmentally sensitive building practices used throughout. Although it is a rare and exotic wood (a wood unlike any other, with beautiful grains and hues), the Anigre wood used was harvested through environmentally responsible sources that effectively manage and control the country's natural resources allowing for the sustained health and viability of the forest.

Fortunately, the property's proximity to the restricted airspace of West Point prevents any flight paths over the property.

 R.S.V.P. for a showing:

Jamie Knuckles
NYC Luxury Specialist
Nestseeker International
Direct: 646-443-3760
Cell: 347-386-6386
Email: sanguinejamie@gmail.com

Amenities