Only 3 Stone Walls Were Left Standing

Old Stone House is not a typical renovation. It was not simply restored. It was reduced.

The original two-and-a-half-story structure was dismantled until only three stone walls and the foundation remained. From those partial ruins, a new single-story weekend retreat was created.

Instead of making the house larger, the design does the opposite: it cuts, simplifies, lowers, and clarifies the original structure. The result is a compact home where the old stone gives weight, texture, and memory, while black metal, darkened cedar, aluminum frames, soft light, and large openings bring the house into the present.

Inside, the main living area combines living room, dining room, and kitchen in one open space, almost like a loft inside a barn. A cathedral ceiling with exposed structure creates height and air, while sliding doors open the room toward a wooden deck, the woods, and the mountain landscape.

Old Stone House shows that a house does not need to grow in order to improve.

Sometimes, the strongest intervention is to remove, simplify, open to the light, and let what remains — three old stone walls, an irregular texture, and a memory of the past — become the foundation for a new way of living.

Architects: TAKATINA LLC
Lead Architects: Takaaki Kawabata
Location: New York, United States
Area 1000.0 ft2
Project Year 2017
Photographer: Mikiko Kikuyama

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