- Project: Montauk Beach House
- Architect: SAOTA
- Location: United States, Montauk, New York
- Year: 2023
- Area: 980 m2
- Photography: Thomas Loof
Nestled between the Old Montauk Highway and the Atlantic Ocean, the Montauk Beach House by SAOTA emerges as a refined architectural response to its rugged coastal setting. Completed in 2023, this 980 m² residence is meticulously embedded into a steep bluff, preserving the dramatic topography and visual rhythm of the New York shoreline.
Architectural Vision Rooted in the Landscape
Designed by SAOTA, in collaboration with Cooper Robertson as Architect of Record, the home prioritizes minimal impact. From the roadside, the building remains discreet—only the upper volume reveals itself, echoing Montauk’s traditional barn forms. This sensitive approach maintains a low profile and respectfully integrates with the existing landscape.
Exterior Durability Meets Sculptural Presence
The barn-like upper structure is clad in shou sugi ban, a charred timber technique chosen for both durability and symbolic depth. This weathered, dark shell protects the home against the Atlantic’s harsh conditions while granting it a grounded, almost sculptural identity. It contrasts effectively with the home’s light-filled interior, amplifying the narrative of shelter versus exposure.
Interior Warmth by Rafael de Cárdenas
The interior design by Rafael de Cárdenas introduces a luminous counterpoint. Using pale timbers and soft tonal palettes inspired by nearby dunes, the interiors offer calm and warmth. The progression of textures mirrors the home’s dialogue with nature—darkness outside, serenity within.
Spatial Sequencing and Site Integration
The journey through the home is orchestrated around movement and reveal. Entry occurs at street level through an understated threshold, descending gradually into the main spaces. As one moves deeper, framed views of the Atlantic Ocean unfold, culminating in open living spaces elevated to capture panoramic vistas.
The residence is organized into three primary volumes:
- A timber-clad upper level housing the entrance, study, and master suite
- A granite-anchored lower level with guest suites and entertainment areas
- A transparent central pavilion containing the kitchen, dining, and living zones
This glass volume serves as a light-filled heart, allowing vegetation and daylight to penetrate, merging interior life with the coastal ecosystem.
Everyday Life: Kitchen, Dining, and Living
At the center, the kitchen, dining, and living areas choreograph daily life around light, material, and long views. Robust surfaces—stone, timber, glass—are paired with refined details and curated color accents.
Terraced Transitions and Outdoor Living
Descending outdoor platforms extend the architectural language into the landscape. These terraced levels flow from house to garden, down to the pool and pool house—mirroring the site’s natural slope and reinforcing harmony between built form and terrain.
Leisure, Play, and Retreat
Below the main living level, generous leisure spaces offer places to gather or retreat—from games and cinema to quiet reading nooks—always keeping the ocean as a companion.
Private Realms
Upper-level suites sit within the timber-clad barn volume, where vaulted ceilings and warm finishes create distinct sanctuaries. Bathrooms borrow light and views, pairing robust materials with serene detailing.
Craft & Material Atmosphere
The interiors extend the material language of the exterior—stone and timber—through moments of craft: stair casings, cabinetry, and furniture elements that feel both tailored and robust.
Roofscape, Balconies, and Horizon Lines
Upper decks and balconies extend living to the roofline, establishing a stitched relationship between sky, sea, and home. Guardrails and glazing maintain clarity while resisting coastal conditions.
Sustainable Materials and Passive Performance
Sustainability is embedded in both material and method. Locally sourced stone and charred wood ensure long-term resilience. Passive strategies—orientation, cross ventilation, and layered shading—enhance environmental performance, reducing energy consumption in a climate-responsive way.
Circulation & Social Overlook
Vertical movement is cast as an experience—staircases, mezzanines, and landings function as small lounges and vantage points, shaping a gentle rhythm across levels.
Outlook
By pairing a restrained street presence with expansive seaside transparency, the Montauk Beach House threads coastal performance with crafted domesticity. It is a home defined by orchestration—of wind and light, of exposure and refuge—rooted in place yet open to the horizon.
