Every Upstate Modernist home begins with the land. Rather than placing a pre-designed structure on a site, we study the topography, sun path, views, and natural features first — then let the architecture emerge from those conditions. The result is a home that could only exist exactly where it sits. Layered on top of that is our commitment to clean modernist design: open volumes, honest materiality, generous glazing, and a quiet confidence that never chases trends. As architect, builder, and developer in one, we control every decision from land selection through final finishes — a level of integration that is rare, and that shows in the finished product.

Clients often describe the process as more collaborative and transparent than they expected. Because we operate as a single integrated team — designers, builders, and land stewards under one roof — you have a consistent point of contact throughout, and there is no gap between what was designed and what gets built. For buyers who engage during the design or construction phase, we walk you through material selections, structural decisions, and site adaptations with full context and clarity. We aim to demystify the process rather than obscure it. The result is that most clients feel a genuine ownership over the home before they've even moved in — and a relationship with the people who made it that often extends well beyond the closing date.

Yes. We typically have several residences available at any given time — from newly completed homes ready for immediate occupancy to homes in design or construction phases that allow buyers to participate in finish selections. Our inventory spans a range of acreages, sizes, and settings across Dutchess and Columbia counties. Visit our Residences page for current listings, or contact us to hear about what's coming to market soon.

Site-specific design means the architecture is a direct response to the particular piece of land it occupies — not a plan pulled from a catalog and adapted to fit. Before a line is drawn, we analyze orientation for the best morning or evening light, natural breezeways, grade changes that can create dramatic cantilevered or split-level moments, mature tree lines worth preserving, and long views worth framing. Floor plan, window placement, roof pitch, and material palette are all shaped by those conditions. No two Upstate Modernist homes will ever be identical, because no two sites are.

Our work is rooted in the Hudson Valley, with a concentration in Dutchess and Columbia counties — including the areas around Rhinebeck, Milan, Red Hook, Hillsdale, and the broader Catskill foothills. We are selective about the land we acquire, prioritizing sites with topographic interest, long views, or natural features that make for exceptional architecture. We do not currently build outside this region, as our site-specific approach requires deep familiarity with the land, the local building environment, and the community.

All three — and that integration is intentional. Most residential real estate involves a fragmented chain: a developer buys land, hires a separate architect, then contracts a separate builder, and the vision suffers at every handoff. We design, permit, and build every home under one roof. Our principals are trained architects who are also licensed contractors and who source and own the land. This means the design intent is never lost in translation, budgets are set with real-world construction knowledge from day one, and the quality of the finished home reflects a single, coherent point of view.

Primarily we develop our own homes on land we own — though buyers who engage early in the process often have meaningful input on interior finishes, fixtures, material tones, and layout details. We also selectively take on fully custom commissions for clients who own land in our region and want an Upstate Modernist home designed specifically for their property and program. Custom projects are assessed case by case. If you own land and are interested in a custom design-build engagement, reach out — we'd welcome the conversation.

Rhinebeck is approximately 100 miles north of New York City — about a 90-minute drive under typical weekend conditions via the Taconic State Parkway or Route 9, or under 2 hours from Midtown via the NYS Thruway. Amtrak's Empire Service stops in nearby Rhinecliff, with direct trains from Penn Station running every few hours — the trip takes roughly an hour and 45 minutes. Most of our buyers use their Upstate Modernist home as a weekend and extended-stay retreat, and find the distance effortless once the commute becomes routine.

Our homes are priced based on size, site acreage, construction complexity, and current market conditions. Completed residences have generally ranged from approximately $1.5M to over $4M, reflecting architect-quality design and construction, meaningful land holdings, and the premium of a fully integrated design-build process. Our model eliminates the redundancy and markup that comes with separate architect, contractor, and developer fees — offering exceptional value relative to comparable work. For current pricing on specific homes, visit our Residences page or contact us directly.

Yes — sustainability is embedded in our design process, not added as an afterthought. Our homes are oriented to maximize passive solar gain in winter and minimize heat gain in summer, with deep overhangs calibrated to sun angle at our latitude. We build with high-performance insulated wall systems, triple-pane glazing where appropriate, and air-sealing standards that significantly exceed code. All-electric mechanical systems — heat pumps for heating and cooling, induction cooking — make our homes ready for a fossil-fuel-free future. Many are solar-ready or solar-equipped, and we select durable, low-maintenance exterior materials that age gracefully in the Hudson Valley climate.

We periodically open available homes for private tours by appointment. Experiencing the scale, material quality, and relationship to landscape in person is far more meaningful than any photograph — and we welcome serious buyers to do exactly that. Tours are arranged individually rather than open-house style, which allows us to give each prospective buyer dedicated time and a thorough walkthrough. To schedule a visit, contact us with your availability and the homes you're most interested in.