At one of their first meetings, William Reue’s client handed him a piece of paper bearing a rough sketch of the home that she had been imagining for the last 25 years. Her preliminary drawing centered on a curving Cor-Ten steel wall. And it was this defining feature, calling to mind Richard Serra’s monolithic sculptures, that served as the starting point for the 4,800-square-foot retreat in upstate New York.

Sitting at the foot of the Shawangunk Mountains, the house, sheltered by Norway spruces, overlooks the expanse of the Hudson Valley. Its exterior is defined by the curved wall and a blocklike mass of local bluestone. Radial-saw marks from the manufacturer left streaks on the stone cladding, making the house appear as if it has been “cut from the earth,” says Reue.