Ai Weiwei–Designed House Hits the Market for $5.2 Million

Rising out of the countryside just two hours upstate from New York City is the Tsai Residence, the only private house that famed Chinese artist, Ai Weiwei, designed in the United States. Situated on 37 acres in Ancram, N.Y., Ai created the abstract, single-family residence in collaboration with Switzerland-based HFF Architects. The Tsai Residence is now on the market for the first time since its 2006 construction at $5.2 million.

Ai and HFF completed the 4,000-square-foot main house of the Tsai Residence as a weekend residence for two art collectors with three bedrooms and three bathrooms. Inspired by agricultural utility buildings, the exterior features overlapping sheets of corrugated, galvanized iron to cover the each of house’s four square volumes. Three years later, the team added an adjacent Y-shaped, two-bedroom, two-bath guest house.

For the interior, Ai and HFF divided the house into a series of rooms with differing widths and heights with large windows, creating a range of exhibition spaces connected by smaller passages. In a nod to 20th century American architecture, the team added three large fireplaces. The kitchen is outfitted by Italian kitchen and bathroom manufacturer Boffi and features a large window that looks out to the surrounding countryside where Ai and HFF installed a rectangular pool.

Best know for his politically charged art installations, Ai’s love for architecture and design has resulted in various projects over the years, including collaborations with Switzerland-based firm Herzog & de Meuron on the 2012 Serpentine Pavilion and on the 2008 Summer Olympics National Stadium in Beijing, “The Bird’s Nest.”

The Tsai Residence is listed by Graham Klemm at Klemm Real Estate.