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$8.25 Million Glass House

Taghkanic House

Behold the Taghkanic House, presiding over a gentleman’s farm in upstate New York’s Hudson Valley, a two-hour drive from New York City.  The most visible part of this largely invisible contemporary home consists of an 1,800-square-foot glass pavilion. Glass houses always raise questions of privacy. However, in this case such practical concerns are addressed so that the majority of the home's living space consists of hidden subterranean chambers.
Tphifer.com

Behold the Taghkanic House, presiding over a gentleman’s farm in upstate New York’s Hudson Valley, a two-hour drive from New York City. The most visible part of this largely invisible contemporary home consists of an 1,800-square-foot glass pavilion. Glass houses always raise questions of privacy. However, in this case such practical concerns are addressed so that the majority of the home's living space consists of hidden subterranean chambers.

By Colleen KanePosted 3 July, 2012

Two Price Options

The 8,800 square-foot home has 6 bedrooms, six full and three partial bathrooms. It has an asking price of either $6.75 million for 200 acres of protected property, or $8.25 million for an additional 150 acres and a three-bedroom renovated farmhouse. The is held by Heather Croner Real Estate and Sotheby’s International Realty.
Tphifer.com

The 8,800-square-foot home has six bedrooms, six full and three partial bathrooms. It has an asking price of either $6.75 million for 200 acres of protected property, or $8.25 million for an additional 150 acres and a three-bedroom renovated farmhouse. The listing is held by Heather Croner Real Estate and Sotheby’s International Realty.

Glass, steel and skylights

This minimalist habitation of glass and white-painted steel was built in 2001 as the first major project by architect Tom Phifer. The architect is known for his facility with light, as exemplified in the sun-filled sky lit galleries he designed for the North Carolina Museum of Art.
Realtor.com

This minimalist habitation of glass and white-painted steel was built in 2001 as the first major project by architect Tom Phifer. The architect is known for his facility with light, as exemplified in the sun-filled, sky-lighted galleries he designed for the North Carolina Museum of Art.

The glass rectangular shapes seen in the sod here are skylights for Taghkanic House's underground spaces.

Celebratory space

The above-ground glass living area allows 360-degree views of the surrounding Hudson Valley and the Catskill Mountains. Phifer designed another glass structure, Fishers Island House, for a client who wanted to sit in his house and look at his garden and his art at the same time, according to magazine.
Realtor.com

The above-ground glass living area allows 360-degree views of the surrounding Hudson Valley and the Catskill Mountains. Phifer designed another glass structure, Fishers Island House, for a client who wanted to sit in his house and look at his garden and his art at the same time, according to Dwell magazine.


Taghkanic owner Moyra Mulholland, a makeup artist in the entertainment industry, told an Albany publication that the idea of a glass house didn't sit well with her due to her fear of thunderstorms. Thus, Phifer refers to this area as the "celebratory space," while the subterranean space helps Mullholland feel protected.

Substructure

The substructure nestled into the gently sloping hillside is 7,000 square feet, and includes the bedrooms, kitchen, media room, wine cellar and a refrigerated cheese room.
Tphifer.com

The substructure nestled into the gently sloping hillside is 7,000 square feet and includes the bedrooms, kitchen, media room, wine cellar and a refrigerated cheese room.

Modernist landscape design

The Taghkanic House grounds were designed by modernist landscape architect Dan Kiley, whose prominent projects include New York City’s Lincoln Center, the Chicago Botanic Garden and the St. Louis Gateway Arch.
Realtor.com

The grounds were designed by the modernist landscape architect Dan Kiley, whose projects include New York City’s Lincoln Center, the Chicago Botanic Garden and the St. Louis Gateway Arch.

Grounds

Also on the estate grounds are a tennis court, bocce court, an organic garden, streams and ponds, hills and meadows, riding and hiking trails, three traditional red barns (located across cattle grazing pastures from the main living area), and a three-bedroom guesthouse, pictured here.
Realtor.com

Also on the grounds are a tennis court, bocce court, an organic garden, streams and ponds, hills and meadows, riding and hiking trails, three traditional red barns (located across cattle grazing pastures from the main living area) and a three-bedroom guesthouse, pictured here.

Pools

Taghkanic House has an indoor pool on the underground level, shown here, and an outdoor swimming pool.
Heather Croner Real Estate

Taghkanic House has an indoor and an outdoor swimming pool.

Screens

The home is designed to get light from the east and west, and screens of aluminum mesh pivot to control each day’s changing flow of light.
Tphifer.com

The home is designed to get light from the east and west. Screens of aluminum mesh pivot to control the day’s changing flow of light.