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Located at 433/435 Warburton Avenue, Hastings-on-Hudson, NY 10706 River Town House consists of two duplex condos with panoramic views of the Hudson River. The project uses principles of sustainability which resulted in it being awarded the first LEED for Homes Platinum rating in Westchester County. The energy efficiency of the project earned an Energy Star Plus III label, the highest rating possible. The design of River Town House by Christina Griffin Architects PC won an award from the American Institute of Architects (AIA).  River Town House is located on a 3,757 sq. ft. steeply sloped property. The original two-family house, built around 1915, was reconfigured and enlarged, salvaging and reusing materials from the original structure to create an energy efficient two-unit condominium town house. The upper unit, 433 Warburton Avenue, has a 1,550 sq. ft. three bedroom/studio layout with an office that has a separate entrance. The lower unit, 435 Warburton Avenue, opens out to the terrace, and has a 2,100 sq. ft. three bedroom layout with a library and a family room. Inspired by similar hilltop urban areas like San Francisco, River Town House was designed to create vibrancy and color in an old neighborhood context. The narrow front façade is designed to have proportions that follow the pattern of the street, but treated with a whimsical use of five different siding materials and a wide palette of colors, including red, cedar, terracotta, and various shades of sage green. The glass bays have a factory aesthetic with large panes reminiscent of buildings from the area’s industrial past.  Innovative ideas were explored to rebuild a property in an aging downtown’s multi-residential district. These ideas include the use of green methods and materials to conserve non-renewable energy and materials, the use of materials that are sustainably harvested, and the support of pedestrian access, mass transit and other alternatives to fossil-fueled vehicles. The floor plans are compact but open, providing a space efficient small house layout and a reduced carbon footprint, without sacrificing function and comfort. It is economical to live at River Town House. The EPA has estimated that the average monthly total energy cost per unit will be $183.21. Also, because of the close proximity to both downtown and the Metro North Station, a family living at a River Town House unit would probably only need one car. In the development of the site, which has small pockets of open green space typical of buildings in the downtown, eco-friendly features were maintained and enhanced, such as the front yard. At the west facing side of the house, a series of tiered levels cascade down the slope towards the river to optimize panoramic river views and access to outdoor spaces and the parking places (one for each unit). Roof terraces and decks at each of the four levels provide indoor-outdoor relationships connecting the living environment to the exterior. Delicate steel cables stretch between minimal supports at the deck railings, allowing the inhabitants to have the full impact of breathtaking river views. A green roof was created at the upper roof level, mitigating heat island effects, and rain barrels provide rain water harvesting. The interior spaces along the decks are loft-like, with no interior supports, and open to the outdoors with a wall of large glass doors to create a sense of light and transparency.  A sloped plane of solar panels covering the south facing roof, and solar panels on the south facing wall, provide the primary source of heat for the building on sunny days. Passive solar gain is provided by walls of glass facing west to capture winter solar heat. The secondary heat system consists of high efficient heat pumps, and the tertiary or last option for heat is gas-fueled high efficiency self-modulating boilers. Fans and ductless air conditioners enhance the breezes off the river in hot weather. Compact fluorescents and Energy Star appliances have been used throughout. Healthful living was a focus, such as the use formaldehyde-free materials throughout the structure. The two condos at River Town House epitomize what a 21st century home should be: the combination of a healthy comfortable home within an efficient and sustainable environment. |
