The Copper House: Only Getting Prettier with Age
Written by Jennifer Heyns
Amusingly enough, Copper House, located in the Hudson valley, was named Best Green House by GreenSource Magazine in March 2010. Funny because several years from now, when the home’s exterior has aged and oxidized, it may actually turn a special shade of green, like the Statue of Liberty.
Surely that’s not what earned architect Andy Bernheimer of Della Valle Bernheimer this distinguished honor, though. Bernheimer designed the 2,590-square-foot house with several eco-friendly features, of which the unique copper siding and roofing are not included.
Although very unusual and highly attractive, the use of copper for the home’s exterior is somewhat controversial, with copper being on the precautionary list of materials by Perkins + Will, stating that it can be toxic to aquatic and human life. Nonetheless, there’s something so appealing about a house that will visibly age right alongside its homeowners.
Imagine being able to watch your house and note the interesting changes in its appearance after every rain or snow storm.
The three-bedroom house has several sculpted south-facing skylights to help bring in more natural light, and efficient windows have been strategically placed to do the same while minimizing solar heat gain.
Other green components are an efficient boiler, radiant floor heating system, passive solar features that reduce the amount of electricity consumed, and recycled materials, like the aluminum used in the kitchen cabinets.
Being green is only part of what makes Copper House so intriguing. The majority of the home’s exterior is faced with copper siding, while a large box-office-like section protrudes from the front and is covered with wood siding. The rear of the house has a lot of character, looking somewhat like four townhouse units put together sideways.
In order to provide continuity throughout the main floor, the house was designed with a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf unit built into one wall. It spans the entire length of the house.
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