[ HHF Architects + Ai Weiwei-Tsai Residence, Ancram

Architect: HHF Architects + Ai Weiwei

Design team: HERLACH HARTMANN FROMMENWILER & AI WEIWEI with Bhavana Hameed, Tom Strub, Fumiko Takahama, Magnus Zwyssig

Structural engineering: Crawford & Associates, Hudson, NY

Construction management: Crawford & Associates, Hudson, NY

General Contractor: Robert Reed Construction, Germantown, NY

Photos: Iwan Baan and Nikolas Koenig

Client: private

Livable area: 375m² / 4000sqft (gross)

Design phase (beginning and ending month, year): May ’05 - February ‘06

Construction phase (beginning and ending month, year): March ‘06 - August ‘08

The Tsai Residence is a countryhouse designed for two young art collectors. The design reflects their request for simple abstract looking piece, sitting almost without scale on top of the vaste property, which is located two hours upstate from New York City.

The four equal sized boxes are built as simple wood construction covered with corrugated metal panels on the outside and wood and gypsum panels on the inside. The floor plan is based on the needs of a traditional countryhouse. Only partially the organization of the rooms is a direct consequence of the rigid outer form.

The Living Room focuses on the different light conditions needed for an existing and future art collection, while the great view into the nearby countryside is present without being dominant. The sequence of the different rooms reflects the idea of a private gallery. Natural light is coming into the spaces through the openings in between the outer boxes.