Family Tree (5 sq.)House
On the North Fork on Long Island, a young public school teacher from Brooklyn bought a plot of land at the highest point of the peninsula to enjoy views of the bay. She built a modest summer home that was passed down through three generations and the related families that spawned from her family tree. The new house, built in part over the foundation of the original building, is a communal home to several branches of the extended family. As such, it is organized around shared living, dining, and playing areas, while the bedroom suites provide retreat from the communal hubbub.
The house is designed around its negative space—view vectors, winter sun paths, and summer wind that channels through the building. The alignment of windows and skylights along these axes provide views of the bay, moments when the sunset penetrates deep into the house, and apertures for cross ventilation such that the house is naturally cooled. On temperate days, large sliding doors carry the outside in at the dining terrace, the upper bedroom terrace, and the lower play court.
The house is designed around its negative space—view vectors, winter sun paths, and summer wind that channels through the building. The alignment of windows and skylights along these axes provide views of the bay, moments when the sunset penetrates deep into the house, and apertures for cross ventilation such that the house is naturally cooled. On temperate days, large sliding doors carry the outside in at the dining terrace, the upper bedroom terrace, and the lower play court.
Status: Completed
Scale: 5600 sq. ft.
Built By: Artisan Construction Associates