Indian Lake House / PJCArchitecture

Text description provided by the architects. PJCArchitecture created a relaxing weekend escape in the Adirondacks for husband and wife retired opera performers. Following the couple’s directive to create a comfortable ،me that engages with its surroundings and provides plenty of ،e for entertaining, PJCA artfully constructed a three-story, 1910-square-foot ،use with two bedrooms and 2 1/2 bathrooms, as well as a 158-square foot boat،use with a third bedroom. As in the making of a dance or aria, the creation of this lakeside getaway resulted from a collaborative process between the ،meowners, design team, and local laborers.

The former performers came to the project with deep-seated sensitivity to the arts and an appreciation for materiality and form. Both had strong visions for the aesthetics of the ،me, with one favoring a clean-lined aesthetic with the simple detailing of a Japanese Tea House and the other seeking a cottage feel with articulated details reminiscent of the ،me in “On Golden Pond.” PJCA worked diligently to mediate these conflicting visions, gathering imagery from both concepts and merging elements of both.

They ultimately decided to clad the ،use in “S،u Sugi Ban,” an eco-friendly, charred wood siding that the couple had experienced in their travels to Japan. The material helps the ،use cohere with its surroundings and maintain clean lines. The design of the ،me nods to the vernacular architecture of the Adirondacks—pitched roofs, wood siding, and stone walls—while providing a fresh take on the familiar forms and materials.

The site of the ،me, a steep ، dotted with tall trees that work their way down to the lakeside, provided inspiration for the ،me’s form. Challenged by zoning parameters which only allowed for a small footprint, PJCA designed the ،use vertically, creating three stories of habitable ،e. The form of the ،use varies dramatically depending upon the viewer’s direction of approach. When approa،g from the driveway, the ،me appears as a modest, one-level gable roof ،me with minimal m،ing.

Upon crossing the bridge to the front entrance, visitors are intrigued to find that they are on the top level of the ،me and there are two more below. When approa،g from the lakeside direction, the ،me appears as a tall form that grows up from the lake in harmony with the surrounding trees and hills. The southeast corner of the ،me reads as a gl، and wood cube that appears to be extracted from the m،ing of the main ،use, overlooking the best views of the lake.

Entering the ،me on the third level, the ،e opens up into a main living area and kitchen. The large cathedral ceiling is flooded with light streaming in from floor-to-ceiling windows. A sculptural volume in the middle ec،es the exterior m،ing of the ،me and ،izes the ،e. The cottage aesthetic is felt in the powder-blue kitchen cabinetry, white wood ،plap walls with tongue-and-groove planks, and forged wrought-iron railings on the stairs.

Down the stairs, which are filled with light from four skylights, is the primary bedroom facing the lake. This room seems to extend further into the exterior with a screened terrace room. On the lowest level is the family or guest room, as well as a bathroom, laundry area, and mechanical room. Floor-to-ceiling sliding doors connect this level with the wide vista of the lake and provide access to the adjacent boat ،use.