In a small woodsy hamlet called Kerhonkson (population around 1,600) nestled in New York’s Hudson Valley, there is a collection of new houses being put together by the architect Drew Lang.

A graduate of the prestigious Yale School of Architecture — like Eero Saarinen, Norman Foster, and Maya Lin — Mr. Lang is clearly focused on design. His goal: “to create authentic, meaningful experiences at every turn.”

 

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Set on 131 acres, each of the twenty-six houses at Hudson Woods is built to fit the individual topography of its site, and they are designed with a strong connection to nature in mind. The 3-bed, 2-bath, 2,800-square-foot standard floor plan comes with details such as hand-crafted mahogany windows, concrete countertops, and white-oak floors, doors, paneling, and cabinets. But homes can also be customized with a salt water pool, for example, or a fruit orchard, or even that tree house you dreamed of as a kid.

 

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Lang’s idea was that the Hudson Woods dwellings would likely be used as vacation homes by urbanites in search of a balance between the excitement of city living and the calm that comes with being surrounded by nature.

 

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His choice of the Hudson Valley reflects that balance. Named one of the top 20 destinations in the world in 2013 by National Geographic Traveler, the Hudson Valley offers a unique mix of natural beauty, history, and culture. Artists and other outside-the-box thinkers — the Hudson River School of painters, the hippies of Woodstock — have long called the valley home. More recently, it’s become a hot spot for fine cuisine, taking advantage of the abundant local produce, and forward-thinking architecture, such as the Frank Gehry-designed Fisher Center For The Performing Arts.

 

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But the natural surroundings are still the main attraction. Nestled in a valley between the Shawangunk Mountains (affectionately called The Gunks) and the Catskills,  Hudson Woods is surrounded on all sides by hiking trails, swimming holes, spas, ski resorts, apple orchards, and more.

 

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To see Hudson Woods for yourself, check out one of their open houses. Hosted by architect Drew Lang, these open houses are held every Sunday from now through the fall.


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