ALTONVIEW ARCHITECTS

Cooperstown Main Office
Cooper House Barn
21 Cooper Place
Cooperstown, NY
(607) 547-5060

New York City Branch Office
Ocean Parkway, Brooklyn, NY.
‪(917) 397-2689

Teresa Drerup / Virginia Ofer / Kurt Ofer
e-mail format: first initial then last name@altonview.com

“Simplicity is the hardest thing to achieve. To simplify you have to remove things, and to take them off you must know which are the superfluous things.”   Bruno Munari

PROJECTS

7 Buckets
Brewery Ommegang
Luhmann Residence
Brookwood School
Barlet Residence
Holliday House
Woolner-Wise Residence photo by JWW
Middlefield Residence – Photo by Max
Bouchard Residence
Stayman Residence
Kingsley Residence
The Farmers’ Museum, South Gate.
Zoltick Residence
Fenimore Art Museum – Ballroom Accessibility
Schenk Residence
Middlespring
Husbandry Barn
Stack Garage
Farm Credit East – Cooperstown
Knight Residence
Badgley – Kong Residence
Mary Beatrice Cushing Memorial Library – Schoharie, NY
Clock House
Clara Welch Thanksgiving Home – Cooperstown
Zarriello Residence
Schoharie Residence
Grayson Residence
Empire State Carousel Pavilion at the Farmers’ Museum
Pomeroy Place
Cooperstown Information Kiosk

BIOLOG

RIADS IN MOROCCO

In our recent travel to Morocco, we had the great experience of staying in two riads.   A riad is characterized by a center courtyard, around which all of the rooms and spaces are organized.  This traditional house typology is typically found in Morocco, and also Andalusia.   Generally two or more stories, the interior …

70/30 > 30/70

For us, the gravel bike is the perfect bicycle for Otsego County.  Wider tires, lower gearing, and relaxed geometry make it fun to ride on the wide variety of surfaces and terrain. In our rides, we like to ride on as many gravel / dirt roads that we can. During the winter, the amount of …

BIOMUSEO

During our stay here in Panama City, Panama, we rode bicycles to Frank Gehry’s Biomuseo.  And we want to report that this is our favorite Ghery building that we have visited so far.  The building makes a very powerful connection to the environment.  Even when you were inside amongst the exhibits, there was never a …

EXPOSITION

A MORE FOCUSED LOOK AT A FEW OF OUR PROJECTS

AND AT THE BOTTOM, A QUICK SMATTERING OF WHAT IS COOKING

FARM CREDIT EAST, COOPERSTOWN BRANCH

Location- Springfield, New York
Client – Farm Credit East
Status – Completed 2018
Program – 22,000 SF Office facility

Farm Credit East is a financial institution that lends solely to the agriculture market. Given the strong agricultural traditions of the Cooperstown region, their new facility just north of the village is a welcome addition to the community.

Their new building needed to be resonant with local agricultural building traditions. Three gently sloping shed forms of the building are one of the responses to this tradition. Another is the taller central form, with two subservient flanking forms. Together, the composition is tied directly into the landscape, in the same manner that regional barns are grounded at the earth.

Farm Credit East wanted to take advantage of the great features of their site, which included views of the north end of the lake, a gently sloping lawn to the south, and the trees which frame every vista. Our response was to place very tall windows toward the lake to bring those views inside. A row of clerestory windows the length of the building modulates and controls the south light as the sun crosses the sky. In this manner, FCE associates are given a constant reference to the exterior. And the movement and play of light during the day is just what we all need. At times, it almost feels like you are sitting outside under the trees.

Another response to traditional building methods was the use of a glu lam post and beam structural system. This, of course, is resonant with the way barns were built over 100 years ago. A glu lam wood system is a renewable resource. Other sustainable features include high R value SIPS roof panels, a lighting system that modulates with the daylight intake, heat destratifying fans, overhangs which admit winter light and warmth yet block summer light, etc. The facility is connected to other FCE offices via state of the art AV.

2016 – DESIGN AND APPROVALS

FCEC – Building Profile Studies based on local agricultural structures
FCEC – Study Model Variations
FCEC – Design Studies
FCEC – Study Model
FCEC – Presentation to Springfield Planning Board. Photo by Jim Kevlin
FCEC – Interior Rendering
FCEC – Site Presentation Model
FCEC – Groundbreaking

2017 – CONSTRUCTION

FCEC – Timber Frame Construction
FCEC – Construction with installation of upper roof deck

2018 – BUILDING OCCUPANCY

FCEC – Exterior View from South
FCEC – Two exterior views
FCEC – Conference room on second floor.
FCEC – Two interior views
FCEC – Views of the trees are part of the everyday interior experience.
FCEC – Exterior View
FCEC – Exterior Patio

WOOLNER – WISE RESIDENCE

Location – Otego, New York
Status – Construction started spring 2020
Program- 1,200 SF addition to single family residence

Narrative – The inefficiency of older houses will become apparent the longer you live in them. This design solution for an addition to an older, post and beam, farmhouse, is sculpted so as to bring in tons of south light, open up the house, for the first time, to the incredible valley views, and just provide a streamlined downsize for the owners.

SEPTEMBER 2021 – CONSTRUCTION

FEBRUARY 2020 – DESIGN

WW – Site Diagram
WW – Massing Study Model
WW – Interior Study Model
WW – Concept Diagram
WW- Conceptual Design Sketch
WW – Interior Study Model, with ramp to Master Bedroom
WW – First Floor Plan
WW – Opaque Massing Model Study
LATE SUMMER 2022

MULTIPLE MODEL STUDIES

We enjoy exploring the potentials of any project that we take. And this propensity can be seen when we combine these physical models into one photo. The three photos below demonstrate a theme and variation approach.

Empire Farmstead Brewery – Cazenovia
Kelly Residence – Schenevus
New York Pizzeria – Cooperstown

LUHMANN RESIDENCE

Location: Cooperstown, NY
Status: Completed 2014
Program: 2,400 SF addition and complete renovation to 1500 SF existing residence

The Luhmann Residence illustrates how we have sensitively renovated and added to a Village historical residence. With the historical restrictions in place, the exterior needs to be completely sympathetic and resonant. However, the interior can become very dynamic and open. We believe that this project achieves both goals.

Luhmann Residence – Site Analysis
Luhmann Residence – Concept Sketch
Luhmann Residence – Interior View
Luhmann Residence – Massing Model
Luhmann Resdence – Under Stair Storage
Luhmann Residence – Interior View
Luhmann Residence – Exterior View of Entry
Luhmann Residence – Exterior View with the tree as a central design element


HOTEL AT 124 MAIN STREET – COOPERSTOWN

Location: Cooperstown, NY
Status: Not Built
Year: 2015
Program: 30,000 SF boutique hotel

This project was not built. But we wanted to include this as we believe it demonstrates the level of dedication that we apply to all of our projects. The introduction of a new, four story structure onto Cooperstown’s historical Main Street is a challenging proposition. A new structure needs to respond to the current visual landscape as well as the historical traditions. It cannot overwhelm. And it needs to be economically viable for the owner. The images below are a sample of the studies that we undertook to demonstrate how we approached this unique design challenge.

Hotel – Detail elevation showing relationships of buildings either side.
Hotel – Teresa making presentation to the Cooperstown approval boards.
Hotel – This existing structure would have been replaced by the hotel.
Hotel – Detailed Main Street model showing hotel and the context of adjacent buildings.
Hotel – Streetscape view
Hotel – Ariel view showing massing setbacks.
Hotel – Alternate studies of various elevation massing, setbacks, and horizontal alignments.
Hotel – Composite Main Street elevation study of both sides of the street, showing heights of adjacent buildings.
Hotel – Early massing watercolor studies.
Hotel – Existing Cooperstown Main Street study
Hotel – Historical research demonstrating precedent of four story hotels on Cooperstown’s Main Street.
Hotel – Presentation watercolor rendering.
Hotel – Fanciful concept just for fun.

WHAT’S COOKING NOW

Interior Renovation
TILL
PAT
PAT
PAT
FCEF
ISER
BER
BER
FCE
Worcester
PIJ SOLAR SHADING STUDY
MIT
Lake House
Nursery
Office Expansion

LOGISTICS

Office Entry
Office Interior, with cat, MGRHS

Our office is located in a renovated barn in the heart of the Village. The barn was originally built as a carriage barn.

RECOGNITION AND PUBLICATION

Transparent Drawing, by Kurt Ofer, was released in January of 2021. The book was published by Black Dog Press in London, and is available at all major online book outlets.

The Smithy Art Gallery. Drawings exhibited as part of the Interior Spaces Show. 2016.

New York Transit Museum and The Architectural League. Grand Central Grand Sketchbook. Moleskine, 2012. Drawing Competition Winner. Print.

Editors of Fine Homebuilding. Small Houses. Newtown: The Taunton Press, 2012. Print. Inclusion of Clock House.

Cooperstown Planning Board Historic Preservaion Awards 2010 Bank of Cooperstown

Fine Homebuilding Magazine September 2009 Publication of Stayman Residence -A Striking Hillside Home

Traditional Building Magazine – A Carousel Pavilion Turns Heads October 2007 Publication of Empire State Carousel

Cooperstown Planning Board Historic Preservaion Awards 2006 Christ Church Columbarium, Clara Welch Thanksgiving Home, Bischof Residence

Long Island Magazine – Empire State Carousel August 2006

Nursing Homes Long Term Care Managememt Magazine November 2004 Publication of Clara Welch Thanksgiving Home – Living History

AIA Central New York Outstanding Design Award 2004 Stayman Residence

Cooperstown Planning Board Historic Preservation Awards 2004 Pomeroy Place, Blum Residence

AIA Central New York Outstanding Design Award 2003 Clock House

Fine Homebuilding Magazine September 2003 Publication of Clock House -Small House Done Right

Marvin Yellow Rose Regional Recognition Award 2003 Middlefield Residence

Drawing from Experience, Publication of Sketches, edited by Paul Laseau, CAP, Ball State University 2001

AIA Central New York Merit Award 2001 Barlet Residence

AIA Central New York Merit Award 2000 Brewery Ommegang

The Daily Star Oneonta- 10 October 2000 – Cooperstown Architects Honored for Work

AIA Central New York Outstanding Design Award 2000 Middlefield Residence

Fine Homebuilding Magazine September 2000 Publication of Middlefield Residence – Archtop in the Valley

Award of Outstanding Achievement 2000 Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana

7th Conference of the European Full Scale Modeling Association (EFA), Florence, Italy 1999 Presentation of Paper Entitled 1:1 Simulation in Architectural Practice See EFA Homepage at < http://info.tuwien.ac.at/efa/efa_99_prog.html> for conference program and paper abstract

Graham Foundation Grant 1984 Full Scale Design Environment Investigation