Morris Cove by Bates Masi + Architects

Located on a narrow peninsula in Sag Harbor, with access to water on all sides, Morris Cove Residence by Bates Masi + Architects demonstrates a deeply informed response to site.

The architects, Paul Masi and Aaron Weil, whose personal affinity for this part of the world enhanced the design response, have crafted a home that will, over time, ameliorate the site’s natural conditions and deepen the residents’ connection to landscape. Bates Masi + Architects were approached by the clients – a family “whose love of this special place makes them stewards of the site more than just owners of it,” notes Paul– to conceive a sensitive and site-specific home. “Previously, there was a home here and, frankly, it was contributing to the erosion of the property, so one of our goals was to look at a new design that would be beneficial to the property.” Paul adds, “Also, they wanted a house that not only responded to the views and the landscape but to the seasons.”

Stretching along the peninsula and oriented towards the water, the low-slung rectangular form encompasses five pavilions beneath an overarching roof structure.

The result is a dwelling that pays deference to the landscape while responding to the clients’ patterns of living and briefing requirements. Stretching along the peninsula and oriented towards the water, the low-slung rectangular form encompasses five pavilions beneath an overarching roof structure. The spaces between the pavilions feature operable glass doors that completely disappear into the walls when the weather allows, dissolving the barrier between the interior and exterior and allowing for a series of sequential spaces that change with the seasons.

Importantly, the form also deftly addresses various environmental considerations. For example, the folded detail of the roof structure houses mechanical equipment safely above storm surges, consequently directing run-off into the courtyards. Also, a series of foundations prop the house up, minimising the structure’s impact to the ground as well as the amount of floodwater displaced in a storm. As Aaron explains, “the foundations of these courtyards not only support the building but are raised above the grade and act as basins that collect the roof run-off and then slowly filter it back into the ground.”

In keeping with the project’s pursuit for longevity, the exterior materiality speaks to an enduring design rationale.

Bates Masi + Architects previously worked from a studio only a few miles from Morris Cove Residence. Therefore, addressing these environmental concerns was particularly pertinent for Paul and Aaron. “We’ve visited the site during storm surges, and we were here in Sag Harbor during [Hurricane] Katrina,” Aaron reflects, adding, “we’ve seen how bad it can be in terms of the flooding and how intense the rainfall can be, so it was kind of real to us to address this issue.”

In keeping with the project’s pursuit for longevity, the exterior materiality speaks to an enduring design rationale. Each of the pavilions is clad in ipe – a dense and resilient wood native to Central and South America – with silicone bronze bolts and screws, which will patina over time. The copper detailing above will also naturally weather, leaving tracings across the exterior from trickling water. As Aaron says, the client really responded to “materials with character and patina; everything was thought about in terms of generations.”

The interiors contrast against the “rugged” exterior with a light and airy palette of bleached white oak and plaster.

The interiors contrast against the “rugged” exterior with a light and airy palette of bleached white oak and plaster. This creates an enveloping experience; however, the focus rests firmly on the surrounding landscape, thanks to carefully conceived apertures and the architects’ deft understanding of volume and light. In direct response to the brief, Morris Cove’s two-pronged purpose – to exist for its inhabitants as well as for the environment within which it sits – has been beautifully executed by Bates Masi + Architects.

Architecture and interior design by Bates Masi + Architects. Build by Men at Work Construction. Landscape design by Stimson. Filmed and edited by O&Co. Homes.