Tower House by Gluck+ is a Stairway to the Treetops in the Catskills
Though you may not be as limber as you once were, there’s still hope that you can climb to the top of a tree. Well, sort of. Rising above the Ulster County landscape is a uniquely glazed home that was designed as a stairway to the top of its surrounding landscape. Created by New York-based architecture firm Gluck+, the contemporary Tower House works as both a viewing platform and a functional home, sitting atop a plateau on the 19-acre property. Its unusual, cantilevered shape causes minimal impact on the ground and provides inhabitants with amazing views of virtually the entire Catskill mountain range.
Built as a mountain retreat for the firm’s principal, Thomas Gluck, and his family, the 2,500-square-foot Tower House has quite an uncommon layout. Each of the first three floors has only one tiny suite made up of a bedroom and bathroom, while the lengthy horizontal top floor contains modern living spaces that spread out into the forest, framing magnificent birds-eye views from 30 feet above ground.
The glass-enclosed yellow staircase highlights the path to the top, showcasing different layers of the forest with every step and leading to the roof deck. Designed with its natural setting as the main influence, the magnificent Tower House camouflages with its surroundings; its glazed skin is made of olive green fritted glass that reflects the forest, changing with the time of day and season and making the home almost invisible. The façade also functions as a rain screen and insulated vision glass.
The best part? You don’t have to worry about scraping your knees on the way down.
All the work by Gluck+ can be seen here.
Photos courtesy of Gluck+
