“The client had an intense love for the characteristics of the land,†said Project Architect Madison Spencer. “It is geographically unique. We had the topography condition to take into account, since the client wanted to build on a high ridge. I visited the hill up there on a winter day. The wind was whipping, and it was as much of an icy cold plateau as you can imagine. Looking down on the rock bough, I was offered beautiful European-like views. We decided to take this strategy and place the house where it could have year-round benefits of cooling areas off of the points. Also, doing so allowed for some protection from the wind in the winter.†He added that the house was built to conform to the characteristics of a rock bough projected out of the ground against the pond.
For the base of the house, a sedimentary stone comprised of mostly sandstone, with some soft limestone, was selected in three coursings. “We literally bought it from the Army Corp. of Engineers,†said Spencer. “It came from an abandoned railroad. We got in the river, took the bridge down, retrieved the stone and used blocks for the exterior of the house. The rougher stone used on the upper coursing of the house came out of the fields around the property.†And according to Spencer, the bulk of the sandstone/limestone came out of the adjacent ground or from the railroad bridge.