Architecture News Plus (ANP) – Architecture and Design Magazine

Surfside Residence

This is a project by Stelle Architects and it is located at Bridgehampton, New York, United States. Project's program: Single family house. There are twelve images for Surfside Residence.

: © Jeff Heatley

Project details

Project name: Surfside Residence
Location: Bridgehampton, New York, United States
Program: Single family house
Area: Site Area: 1.686 acres • Built-up Area: 3,100 sf (main house)
Year: Completion: June 2008
Project by: Stelle Architects
Team: Design Team: Frederick Stelle, Eleanor Donnelly, Greg Tietjen
Others: Contractor: Wright & Company Construction Inc.

Project images

Designer's statement

Our clients purchased an old beach house perched on the top of a beach dune in an exposed Atlantic-Ocean environment. We were asked to secure and improve the existing house, expand the footprint and expand the usable space as permitted by local codes. Preserving the modest scale of the house and creating the sense of being ‘on the beach’ were priorities, 75% of the old house was reused in the new scheme.

The program included enlarged owner and new guest facilities, living room and deck for entertaining. The new guest spaces were to connect easily with the more ‘public’ spaces of the house whilst maintaining and promoting privacy for the owners.

Our goal was to keep the seaside spirit of this house alive in the architecture and finishes. Simplicity in design, longevity in lifespan for material choices, and responsible energy use through design and system selection, were all high priorities for our clients. Program requirements were to provide layers of privacy for the new guest accommodations, creating new opportunities for experiencing the location and preserving the modest scale of the original house.

A strict schedule was also set with a start to completion goal of approximately nine months so our clients would not miss a summer season in their house. Careful management of the schedule and project expenditure brought the project in 10% under the construction budget.

This house is a simple rectangular pavilion clinging to the dunes where water meets land. The volume is opened up to the waterside with large expanses of glass contrasting with a more solid but punctured façade to the street side. The house is secured against the power of the ocean with a steel frame work. New concrete walls run parallel to the ocean and breakaway construction runs perpendicular to the ocean, minimizing repair work should a storm hit the house. Materials were chosen for their strength and durability against the salt water environment. Natural ventilation maximizes the ocean breezes, limiting mechanical cooling. Photovoltaic cells, hot water panels and geothermal heat pumps capture natural energy, reducing offsite energy demand. The interior finishes are simple, requiring little maintenance. Color palettes reflect the ocean tones and celebrate the transitions between the beach and the land.

In our attempt to preserve as much of the house as possible, we chose to keep the master suite (including offices, master bathrooms and master bedroom) on the upper level of the house. His and her bathrooms and offices (though compact), provide sufficient seclusion for both owners to work and live comfortably side by side. The kitchen, dining and living spaces are all combined and enlarged and open onto a large ocean view deck. The deck pushes proudly over the sand dunes taking full advantage of the seascape. Guests are located on the lower level away from the owner’s spaces. Both guest rooms have private bathrooms and direct access to the beach via a weatherproof deck. The weatherproof lower deck space encourages guests away from the communal spaces; guest may sit and watch the waves. Circulation spaces were minimized, keeping the building footprint as small as possible. The entry hall to the house doubles as a vestibule for the guest rooms.