The 2025 HD Awards Project Winners

STUDENT
The Hudson Frontier, Ossining, New York

The long-abandoned, recently purchased castle of outdoorsman David T. Abercrombie, cofounder of famed retailer Abercrombie & Fitch, stirred Harrisburg University of Science and Technology student Sheng Wei Yang to imagine the Hudson Frontier in Ossining, New York as a discreet, scenic travel oasis. For the property, Yang conceived of a mix of castle suites and surrounding cabins, as well as a bar tucked into the building’s tower, alfresco dining underneath a canopy of trees, and a pool that blends in with the terrain. A reverence for nature is also central to the design, encapsulated in materials like locally sourced stone, reclaimed wood, weathered metal, and well-worn leather. “This project was born from a longing for a more romantic era—a time when artists, adventurers, and dreamers escaped the city to build poetic lives along the Hudson River,” explains Yang. “I envisioned the Hudson Frontier not merely as a destination, but as a living story—a soulful retreat where time lingers in the stone and nature gently reawakens our sense of wonder.”

School: Harrisburg University of Science and Technology | Student: Sheng Wei Yang