This rad bridge house designed by Bates Masi Architects is an architectural gem right here in their own backyard of Montauk, New York. The small seaside community has a distinctive character that draws vacationers and locals alike, and helping to shape this close knit hotspot, this unusual home seems to fit right in.
The architects described Montauk best: “The weather is unpredictable with banks of heavy fog and gusty winds. History is closer to folklore than truth with stories of the Montauk Project Conspiracy, German Submarines, and the Montauk Monster blurring the line between fact and fiction. Remnants of the past such as a radar tower and bunkers are scattered throughout the landscape.”
Perched at the highest point overlooking this colorful area, this ranch house features a terraced design that works its way down the hillside. What appear as two separate, single storey volumes are one, artfully connected by a wood screened bridge that stretches across a landscaped courtyard, lending a more complex, creative spin to local building tradition.
“There is no prescribed path of circulation, encouraging different encounters much like the social experiences of Montauk,” the architects note. “One can enter beneath the bridge and up terraced planter steps revealing the rolling hills and ocean in the distance. One can also climb the exterior entry stair that mirrors the interior stair, separated by a wall of glass.” Or, don’t enter the house at all and continue on to the outdoor entertaining area complete with a fireplace, alfresco dining room and pool. “The exploration resulting from unique circulation yields a different memorable experience for everyone.”
That’s not to say interiors aren’t every bit as memorable. Rustic style rooms feature warm wood floors and gabled ceilings, complemented by country chic furniture and surrounded by wide, gaping windows that always lead the eye out to the ocean.
Bates Masi Architects
photo credit: Michael Moran
