Built in 1970, the original structure of this house, known as “saltbox” (a type of residential building with an asymmetrical double-sloped roof, popular in colonial New England) is located on a large lot in Sagaponack, New York. Consisting of two stories and a basement, the challenge was to remodel and add square footage with a modern architecture that would not compete with the typology of the existing house. The strategy was to emphasize the horizontal lines, designing more neutral and pure volumes.

 

The additions include an entrance porch, a master suite and a detached two car garage. The three elements were conceived as simple prisms with the same aesthetic language. The entrance was designed as a succession of platforms that reach the first floor’s level, 48 inches (1.20 meters) above grade. The structure of the porch was built around an old Cryptomeria tree. The master suite’s shape, elevated from the ground, partially wraps the volume of the existing structure.

 

In order to connect the interior of the house to the garden, large glass openings were installed to allow the views and the flow of the natural light. An exterior wood deck and a swimming pool were created as an extension of the living room. The landscape design was inspired by Burle Marx’s straight lines and curves. 

 

The new construction was finished with the same materials as the original house: cedar shiplap boards on the outside and plaster and oak floors on the inside. 

 

As in a mathematical equation, the intention was to simplify the spaces to the essential with clean lines. Our goal was to make all the changes - practical and aesthetic - with coherence and in the same direction.