New Paltz House

Most home renovations focus primarily on the inside. The New Paltz House instead makes its mark with an all-new exterior. The residence was previously clad in T-111 siding, with no insulation, an aging roof, and old windows. With an edict from the owner that the new treatment be as maintenance-free as possible, the architects clad the rectangular building in a mix of charred Shou-Sugi Ban wood siding and fiber cement panels, with the former marking the double-height areas and the latter split at the base of the second level with wider panels at the bottom and narrower strips at the top. During the process, the home's exterior was stripped to the studs to allow for installation of new insulation, and the drafty windows replaced with moden triple glazed units that suit the new aesthetic while improving the home's overall energy efficiency.

Photos: Alan Tansey / AlexAllen Studio