The client's directive: "A house that draws you outdoors and accommodates large parties, all the while affording our family total privacy." And it had to be made of sustainable materials and be energy efficient to withstand the bitter winters just outside Buffalo, New York.

With the careful use of a few simple but massive walls, the house, its adjacent grounds, and the site are organized into four simple quadrants for approach, arrival, entertaining and privacy. Each quadrant affords its own special views across the varied landscape, and an experience unlike the others.

Photo: Ben Rahn

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