This Shelter Island house is a 'study in informality shaped by a seaside context,' says its creator, Julie Eizenberg of Los Angeles-based architecture studio Koning Eizenberg. The home, located on the eastern end of Long Island, is conceived as a simple timber structure in nature, a contemporary retreat or a 'modern cabin', aiming to make the most of its idyllic location for its owners, a family of four seeking a weekend home.
Shelter Island house: the context
The Shelter Island house is set among mature trees, hedgerows and rolling lawns, next to a narrow sandy beach and the sea beyond. It is a location the project's clients knew well, having spent many summers and weekends in the area over the course of more than 20 years. Long views of nature and rural structures make for a calming countryside experience that the house was designed to harness.
Shelter Island house: the design
Creating a home that can be enjoyed in all weathers, both indoors and al fresco, was a priority for the whole team. The architects worked on creating interior spaces that feel open and take in the vistas and green environment through large openings and verandas. A series of terraces allows space for an outdoor shower, big fireplaces, an outdoor barbecue, and good ventilation throughout. Even so, the house and its activities remain hidden from view from the street, thanks to the lush planting and its positioning on the site.
Wood siding and concrete inside blend the natural and the manmade, adding a contemporary crispness to materials inspired by the region's vernacular. Respecting the natural context, the home employs sustainable architecture measures, such as rooftop photovoltaic panels for its energy use, and operable wood vents to supplement airflow. Meanwhile, its 'cedar rainscreen siding is quickly turning grey, gathering more character as it ages', the architects add, ensuring the structure feels at one with its rich environment.
-
How 2024 brought beauty and fashion closer than ever before2024 was a year when beauty and fashion got closer than ever before, with runway moments, collaborations and key launches setting the scene for 2025 and beyond
-
This listed house in London is transformed through a contemporary celebration of the archSegmental House, a listed house transformation by Dominic McKenzie Architects, taps into the playful powers of the contemporary arch
-
The Rolls-Royce Ghost Series II glides into the DMs of the world’s 1 per centThe Series II version of the ‘Baby Rolls’ has slight but sophisticated revisions to keep this hefty saloon in the targets of an increasingly idiosyncratic and individualist buyer
-
A vacant Tribeca penthouse is transformed into a bright, contemporary eyrieA Tribeca penthouse is elevated by Peterson Rich Office, who redesigned it by adding a sculptural staircase and openings to the large terrace
-
We walk through Luther George Park and its new undulating pavilionLuther George Park by Trahan Architects and landscape architects Spackman Mossop Michaels opens to the public, showcasing a striking new pavilion installation – take a first look
-
A vibrant new waterfront park opens in San FranciscoA waterfront park by leading studio Scape at China Basin provides dynamic public spaces and coastal resilience for San Francisco's new district of Mission Rock
-
Tekαkαpimək Contact Station: a building ‘as inspiring as the endless forest and waterways of the land’The new Tekαkαpimək Contact Station by Saunders Architecture with Reed Hilderbrand and Alisberg Parker Architects, opens at Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument in the USA
-
Entelechy II: architect John Portman's majestic beach home hits the marketEntelechy II, architect John Portman's beach residence in Georgia, USA, goes on the market; roll up, roll up for a home that is as grand as it is playful
-
First look: Honolulu's Victoria Place blends cosmopolitan living with Hawaii life and natureVictoria Place is a new residential tower at Honolulu's Ward Village; take a first look at its interiors
-
A look inside the home of George Homsey, one of the fathers of pioneering California modernist community Sea RanchGeorge Homsey's home opens for the first time since his death, in 2019; see where the architect behind some of the designs for Sea Ranch, the pioneering California modernist community, lived
-
Step inside a Brooklyn Brownstone that bridges old and new'Brooklyn Brownstone' has been refreshed by Jon Powell Architects (JPA) and the result is a contemporary design rooted in modern elegance
