Orient, New York

Located near the eastern end of Long Island’s north fork, on a waterside bluff of the largest glacial moraine in the world, this house is a refuge for an artist/writer who escapes here from Manhattan, making plans for the house to become a permanent home.

Design concept and solution: A Neo-New England 1950’s saltbox that could not be altered was already on the site, and the architect’s challenge was to create an addition that would coalesce. The solution is a two-story addition that attaches at one corner, forming the link to the existing structure, as well as a new entrance. A wood and steel pergola, covered in climbing hydrangea, extends across the existing house facade, economically defining an outdoor pathway to the new front door. Translucent cellular polycarbonate panels sheath the upper stair-hall, seen as a glowing lantern at nightfall. Solid walls are natural cedar siding, while the chimney is made of Long Island concrete block, sandblasted to expose the glacially deposited aggregate.

The upstairs sleeping loft affords views of Long Island Sound and Connecticut, over a step hillside of protected vegetation. Underneath sits a sunken living and writing studio, neatly nestled between bluff and garden landscapes.