On the banks of a pond that feeds the Pine River, we are building a new home for the owners. The former house had been built by Earl Hand and stood there for decades. A lush landscape grew up around it. Without disturbing the planting, we have designed a simple frame farmhouse with a metal roof and spacious decks fronting the pond. The south elevation of the house fronts a cascade of meadow descending to the water’s edge, a magical view. Inside the house there is an abundance of spatial variety, ranging from the high-ceilinged Kitchen to simple bedroom suites. The family can gather on a summer afternoon on a generously proportioned deck off the Kitchen, overlooking the water. In a winter blizzard, the Living Room with its massive stone fireplace is the welcoming soul of the home.

This homestead distills the simplest patterns of life from the landscape, looking to be a place of tranquility in a time of such great flux.