Hudson Concrete House

Hudson Concrete House, designed by Koko Architecture + Design, is situated on the highest point of Mount Merino in New York’s Hudson River Valley. Commissioned by an art collector, the brief called for a country retreat that would also serve as an experiential setting for displaying a significant art collection. The site’s defining restriction was a concrete geo-marker at the mountaintop, which had to remain undisturbed, guiding key aspects of the design, particularly the location of the courtyard at the summit. Several properties were considered before selecting this untouched tract, a process during which the architects engaged directly with the client and landscape. Exposed concrete was used for the structure, drawing inspiration from the surrounding stone landscape and local industrial character. Spatial planning was influenced by the Japanese concept of Ma, emphasizing the relationship between interior and exterior, and reflected in the arrangement of interconnected rooms around the courtyard. The approach to the house features an artificial earthwork by MVVA Landscape Architects, linked to the residence by a steel bridge. The house also incorporates new site-specific artworks, further connecting it to the region’s tradition of merging art, architecture, and landscape.