bates masi + architects: sam's creek, new york

‘sam’s creek’ by bates masi + architects, new york, usaall images courtesy of bates masi architects

‘sam’s creek’ residence reflects the owner’s- and in fact many people’s- contemporary lifestyle. as technology advances we become adept at multi-taskingas we balance the digital and analogue worlds, a concept the client knows all too well and wanted to represent in his home situated on a one-acre plotin bridgehampton, new york. local practice bates masi + architects therefore organized the home as a series of open-ended mahogany boxes, each containinga specific program and allowing views to pierce through from the front yard to the rear gardens and landscape. the overlap of the boxes, carried throughto the interior through material changes and consequent thresholds, creates a blending of program or the physical manifestation of ‘multi-tasking’.large groups can be entertained while children play under the same roof; residents can enjoy the pool area while those in the kitchen are indirectlytaking part in the activity; guests are free to come and go without disturbing any other node of the house. the orthogonal volumes are almost completelyautonomous, with their own climate control and lighting qualities, further emphasizing their roles as independent – yet overlapping – programmaticelements.

the material palette is kept rather modest, utilizing mostly travertine pavers for the floors and exterior elements and polished wood planks wrappingthe walls and ceilings, coupled with large glass facades inset from the outer timber shell. the one-directional planks create a certain sense of movement,made especially evident in the bedroom where the entire space is defined by the material, as if the surrounding textures had been frozen at high speeds.the stone components help delineate different spaces through the ground plane, and break up the elevation with custom made siding that reinterprets the use of lumber in the region.

pool house

entrance

kitchen and entry

bar area

kitchen and small dining table

(left) dining area(right) living room

the fireplace is a functional sculpture in itself. located in the most voluminous space, it consists of a moment frame that supports lateral loads andallows the mass to remain large and open without the need for columns or any excess structure. the skin is made of overlapping digitally-fabricatedbronze strips that reflect diffuse light and add a rich tone to the living room with their carefully studied patina treatment. the vertical component also houses a coat closet and HVAC systems, placing storage, mechanical pipes, and the radiating heating element in the most efficient location of thespace.

fireplace installation in the living room

fireplace detail of overlapping bronze elements

bedroom

bathroom

pool house

site plan

floor plan / level 0

floor plan / level 1

project info:

lot size: 1 acrebuilding size: 6,500 sq. ft.location: bridgehampton, nyprogram:  single family residencearchitect:  bates masi architectsphotographer:  bates masi architectsstructural engineer:  steven l marescageneral contractor: breitenbach builderslandscape: the sweetbay group