Beckoning Path, a stunning mid-century 750-square-metre residence on 27 lakefront acres in Armonk, NY, was carefully renovated and added to by BarlisWedlick Architects to become a high-performance building housing a wellness retreat.
Originally owned by Ted Nierenberg, who founded Dansk International Designs (American distributor and retailer of cookware, tableware, and other home accessories), the home was built in the 1960s and includes Scandinavian touches such as wood imported from Denmark, vaulted ceilings, expansive glass walls and a spiky copper roof.
BarlisWedlick was brought on by the current owner to reimagine the home as a private wellness retreat complete with a new 100-square-metre addition to accommodate an indoor swimming pool. The property was reconstructed to include four additional bedrooms that can serve as meditation chambers, two changing rooms, a gym, and a home theatre on the lower level.
The main level originally rested on a smaller base, which BarlisWedlick extended, covering the brick with locally quarried granite to blend with the natural surroundings. The rebuilt base includes the swimming pool, now acting as a powerful thermal barrier thanks to high-performance windows, heat recovery ventilators and layers of insulation.
The upper level was re-envisioned as a streamlined glass pavilion with three multipurpose studios, one of which can be used as a bedroom with an en-suite.
Throughout the space, sophisticated AV equipment is hidden via copper panelling. Remote-controlled kinetic sound sculptures are planted to emit soothing sounds.
Passive House principles were used whenever possible to improve the shell’s performance and to address the thermal challenges of this unique mid-century, timber-frame structure, all while maintaining the original building’s formal and structural expression.
This contemplative space captures the spirit of escape and communion with nature, blending 21st-century high-performance living with mid-century modern aesthetics.
[Images courtesy of BarlisWedlick. Photography by Peter Aaron.]
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