Pines Beach Cabin

Modest in its size, this 1965 house began as a single-floor cabin set on one of the dunes in Fire Island Pines. By the 1990’s, an addition was built below the main floor. A series of previous renovations left the interiors of the house drowning in suburban decor inside and out, with no connection to the landscape or its outdoor spaces.
This project was our most thorough examination of transforming an existing midcentury house into a contemporary home for a non-nuclear family. The house’s top floor was redesigned as a loft-like space where there is an immediate sight-line connection throughout. A central box volume holds the kitchen and storage, while the rest of the space remains open. The bottom floor was redesigned as two ensuite bedrooms, each with their own entrances from the garden. It is a project that explores freedom, sexuality, and friendships.