Someone thought about building on the hills of Harriman State Park (New York). Someone with a lot of ambition and very good taste.
Design houses are not exactly accessible to everyone: yet, even through their evolution we can understand a lot about the trends that society experiences, and above all what it is aimed at. Black Villa is no exception. It is a sort of ultra-modern "Hobbit lair", stunning inside and out, especially in its most fascinating feature: the relationship with the external environment.
A “fusion” green house
You will have time to look at the location, the interiors halfway between rock and stone and the spectacular windows: I have not been stingy with photographs, this splendid mansion designed by reza mohtashami it really deserves it. In the meantime, focus on a single, heavy "detail" that perhaps contains the entire concept behind this construction: a large, lush grass-covered roof.
Green roofs have become slowly popular over the past decade, due to their economic and environmental benefits. Alone they can reduce energy consumption by almost 1% by providing natural heat insulation and maintaining temperatures up to 4 degrees Celsius lower than conventional roofs. Green roofs also reduce and slow stormwater runoff, which helps immensely in areas with poor drainage systems (usually in urban areas).
The Black Villa combines energy opportunities with consumption reduction, using skylights and windows practically everywhere, from floor to ceiling.
The location however…
I appreciated the environmentally friendly design of Black Villa, but I wish it had been made for a city, not a national park. To build the house, you would have to disrupt the existing landscape of the park: and as evidence of sustainability, forgive me, it seems a little weak. It could become the "green" version of Lloyd Wright's house in the future, but beyond the green roof I fear that the energy efficiency features are more cosmetic than anything else.
To be beautiful, however, she is beautiful. Feast your eyes.
