Daily Catch: At Steven Holl’s Rhinebeck Campus, Architecture Becomes a Living Process—From Forest Trails to Experimental Forms

June 2, 2026

May 26, 2026

By Maggie Baribault

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A narrow driveway breaks off the main road of the Steven Myron Holl Foundation’s Rhinebeck campus. A modest-sized contemporary guest house appears low in the landscape, partially screened by trees. It reads as precise but understated, its pale exterior contrasting with the dark forest around it. The entry is a circular opening cut into the facade.

Inside, unfinished birch plywood curves upward in continuous arcs, bent and layered by hand in a process likened to building a guitar. The scent of raw wood hangs in the air. A few steps in, the space opens into a soaring 20-foot-tall central living space. Geothermal heated floors warm the room from below.

“You don’t need to be an architect to understand the experience of this house,”  said Dimitra Tsachrelia-Holl, the life and business partner of internationally renowned architect Steven Holl, in a 2025 film produced by Spirit of Space and the Foundation. “It engages you mentally, in your body, and spirit.”

Completed in 2016, the 890-square-foot residence was developed as an experiment in how geometry, natural light, and sustainable design shape everyday life. It’s called Ex of IN — short for “Exploration of IN,” or interior, a reference to its focus on interior spatial experience. Built through iterative studies and physical models of intersecting spheres, Ex of IN now operates as a short-term Airbnb rental that supports the Foundation’s programming. Link to full article.