three-story cedar tower with a sauna connects to rural 'fox hall' house by BarlisWedlick

architecture firm BarlisWedlick collaborated closely with homeowner ian hague on this country compound located two hours north of new york city in ancram, new york. the complex is underscored by the 1,800 square foot passive house-certified ‘fox hall’ home clad in ‘shou-sugi-ban’, or charred cedar. BarlisWedlick, which served as both the architect and interior designer on the project, was inspired in part by a 19th-century barn transported to the site from a nearby property. a three-story cedar tower with a sauna is connected to the main house by a bridge, while the second level features porch seating, and the third has a swing that overlooks the surrounding landscape.

all images by brian ferry

internally, BarlisWedlick has conceived the interiors as a contemporary interpretation of a rural retreat, with a blend of vintage furniture and simple pieces featured across an open living and bedroom area. an energy monitoring system allows the studio to continuously track and compile an ever-growing post-occupancy energy analysis that has been used to refine work on newer passive house projects.

meanwhile, the historic century barn brought in from a nearby farm features black siding and striking red window frames. a lofted upper level connects to the ground floor via a fireman pole, that leads to a studio apartment downstairs. intended as a site of social gathering, guests enjoy a wood burning stove and the first natural swimming pool in new york state, which uses water gardens to perform all of the necessary filtration requirements. built into the roof is a photovoltaic array that provides power to multiple buildings on the property.

project info:

name: fox hall barn & pool / fox hall house
location: ancram, new york (two hours north of NYC)
owner: ian hague
architecture & interior design: barliswedlick