CATSKILLS RESIDENCE

CATSKILLS RESIDENCE IS A MOUNTAIN HOLIDAY HOME THAT DEMONSTRATES HOW PANELIZED MASS TIMBER CONSTRUCTION CAN SUPPORT AN EFFICIENT BUILDING PROCESS WHILE CREATING WARM AND GENEROUS INTERIOR SPACES.

THE PRIMARY STRUCTURE IS FORMED FROM CROSS LAMINATED TIMBER PANELS MANUFACTURED BY SKONTO PREFAB IN LATVIA. THE PANELS ACT AS BOTH THE STRUCTURAL WALLS AND THE EXPOSED INTERIOR FINISH, CREATING A WARM CABIN LIKE ATMOSPHERE WHILE ENABLING LARGE COLUMN FREE SPACES. RIGID EXTERIOR INSULATION AND STANDING SEAM METAL CLADDING PROTECT THE STRUCTURE FROM THE COLD CLIMATE, SNOW, AND CHANGING MOUNTAIN CONDITIONS.

THE FORM RESPONDS TO THE SURROUNDING HILLS BY OPENING TOWARD SELECTED VIEWS AND USING LARGE PICTURE WINDOWS TO FRAME THE LANDSCAPE. THE MAIN LIVING AREA CONNECTS VISUALLY WITH AN EXTERIOR DECK, EXTENDING DAILY ACTIVITY TOWARD THE LANDSCAPE. AN OUTDOOR SHOWER CREATES ANOTHER DIRECT CONNECTION BETWEEN THE RESIDENCE AND ITS SETTING.

MANUFACTURING, TRANSPORTATION, AND ASSEMBLY WERE CONSIDERED AS A CONNECTED SEQUENCE. PANEL DIMENSIONS, FACTORY CUTOUTS, SERVICE CHANNELS, NUMBERING, AND CONNECTION DETAILS WERE COORDINATED BEFORE DELIVERY TO REDUCE WORK ON SITE. PACKING STUDIES DOCUMENTED HOW THE PANELS COULD FIT EFFICIENTLY WITHIN SHIPPING CONTAINERS AND ESTABLISHED THE ORDER IN WHICH COMPONENTS WOULD BE LOADED, UNLOADED, ORGANIZED, AND INSTALLED.

ONCE THE FOUNDATIONS AND SITE WORK WERE COMPLETE, THE PRIMARY TIMBER STRUCTURE WAS ASSEMBLED IN A MATTER OF WEEKS. THE PROJECT DEMONSTRATES HOW DESIGN FOR MANUFACTURING AND ASSEMBLY, DETAILED DOCUMENTATION, LOGISTICS PLANNING, AND MANUFACTURER COORDINATION CAN REDUCE INSTALLATION TIME WHILE SUPPORTING A HIGHLY SPECIFIC RESIDENTIAL DESIGN.

FOR JJ TAN, CATSKILLS RESIDENCE WAS THE FIRST COMPLETE HOUSE FOLLOWED THROUGH CONSTRUCTION, PROVIDING A DIRECT UNDERSTANDING OF HOW DESIGN AND DOCUMENTATION DECISIONS TRANSLATE INTO FULL SCALE ASSEMBLY.