In Phillipsport, New York, an architect set out to build the bare minimum of a rural retreat: a pared-down house with a sense of poetry. “I kept simplifying it to the purest forms, the purest wrapper,” he said. That focus on simplicity wasn’t just a design preference; it was a requirement of his budget.
Seeking respite from the city, Kyle Page set out to create a rural sanctuary for his family. The goal of the project would be twofold: Build a weekend cabin where their two- and four-year-olds could play and friends could visit, and experience the design freedom—sans "budget headaches"—of being both the owner and architect.
Set among 19 acres of forest, wetlands, and old stone walls in Philipsport, NY, just 80 miles from NYC, this visually striking second home was designed to embrace the natural environment and offer access to a range of outdoor activities, from hiking and skiing to climbing in the nearby Gunks.
The Pond House was featured just past the 5 minute mark in Episode 3 of New York By Design.
Three years ago, when architect Kyle Page found his version of heaven—19 acres of pond, woods, and federally protected wetlands in Sullivan County—the property was so wild it didn’t even have an address.