Gardiners Bay House

Context

Sited on a bluff thirty feet above Gardiners Bay, the existing residence was built in 1966. The site provides spectacular unobstructed views of the water, which are accentuated from the second story living spaces.

Design

Due to the changes in zoning requirements and the owners’ desire to maintain the structure’s proximity to the edge of the bluff, the design reuses the existing structure’s footprint and rudimentary form as a point of departure. By removing the existing second story bedroom and bath addition, the new second story becomes a rectilinear space housing the living room, dining room and kitchen. This space, similar to the bridge of a ship, provides continuous views to the water. The basic form of the pitched roof is modified to provide angled clearstory windows which raise the roof and reorient the space toward the bay. The existing first floor is entirely reconfigured to accommodate five bedrooms, four baths, an entrance foyer, and utility space. The main entry to the house is also relocated to the first floor to simplify access to the residence.