Quogue Beach House

Located on the south side of Dune Road, facing the beach and the Atlantic Ocean, this existing house required a complete exterior re-design in addition to partial interior renovation work. The original structure was a somewhat complex composition of volumes that stepped in and out, vertically and horizontally, combined with sloped glass roofs in several locations. All exterior walls were clad in white composite paneling, which gave the house a massive appearance divorced from its context. It was clear that mere cosmetic improvements would not suffice, so the new design stripped the entire exterior down to the structure. The house was then reshaped and reformed to simplify the overall geometry, while expressing the key volumes in the parti. Within the newly articulated massing, windows are either cut or chiseled into the elevations to create relief. From the street the house is three stories high, including the basement, whereas from the beach it has only two stories. Sapele hardwood siding was selected for it’s durability and weathering characteristics. All the cladding is vertically oriented, with an open slat format for the upper two levels and a closed joint board format for the lower level. The open wood slats allow light to filter through the façade, especially at the large sloped skylight over the double height entry where a slatted screen provides privacy at night and solar control during the day.