Pierson’s Way Residence by Bates Masi Architects: A Modern Barn Home Rooted in East Hampton’s History

  • Project: Pierson's Way Residence
  • Architect: Bates Masi Architects
  • Location: United States, East Hampton, New York
  • Year: 2013
  • Area: 687 m2
  • Photography: Michael Moran

Nestled within a historic 19th-century oceanfront community in East Hampton, the Pierson’s Way Residence by Bates Masi Architects artfully bridges the past and the present. Designed for a young couple raising a growing family, the home offers a contemporary retreat that respects its traditional surroundings, drawing inspiration from the nearby gabled potato barns that characterize the region’s agrarian past.

Design Rooted in Context and Concealment

While the neighborhood adheres to conservative architectural traditions, this residence uses thoughtful design strategies to balance modernism with heritage. The structure is rotated to sit perpendicular to the private pool, occupying most of the lot while minimizing visual mass from the street.

To further reduce the perceived scale, the architects designed a false ground plane—a sloped structure that rises from grade to the second floor. Built from 7-inch-thick glue-laminated timber panels supported by steel girders, this plane hides the building’s height and provides a green roof planted with native grasses, enhancing privacy and integrating the home into the coastal landscape.

Exposed Structure as Architectural Expression

The glue-laminated panels aren’t just structural—they define the aesthetic. Inside, these panels remain exposed as ceiling surfaces, extending outside to form a 12′ x 90′ cantilever. The same material is used to carve stair treads, lighting recesses, built-in furniture, and cabinetry, maintaining a unified and tactile design language.

This sculptural quality not only showcases the material’s strength and integrity but creates a sense of continuity throughout the interior and exterior spaces.

Functional Program with a Family Focus

The first floor is tailored for guests and social gatherings, featuring open-plan communal areas with seamless access to outdoor entertainment zones. Meanwhile, the second floor serves as a private family haven. Surrounded by the elevated landscape, the upper level includes tranquil spaces such as a fire pit and spa with framed views of the Atlantic Ocean.

Paths woven through the sloped vegetation connect family areas to the more public lower level, encouraging movement and interaction between secluded and shared zones.

Materiality Anchored in Agrarian Tradition

To further root the home in its local context, materials commonly used in agricultural buildings are reinterpreted with modern precision:

  • Alaskan Yellow Cedar Shakes: These cladding elements cover both roof and sidewalls in an oversized pattern—four times the standard exposure—to visually reduce the home’s mass.

  • Weathering Steel: Referencing barn roofing, this durable material forms a natural patina over time, providing resilience and a rustic finish.

Together, these materials soften the modern form and echo the weathered character of the surrounding landscape, while requiring minimal upkeep.

A Thoughtful Alternative to Overdevelopment

In a region increasingly dominated by oversized, disconnected beach houses, the Pierson’s Way Residence presents an alternative. By embracing historic forms, modern functionality, and a strong connection to the land, this residence reinforces a sense of place while accommodating a dynamic, family-centered lifestyle.

Modern residence with pitched roofs and expansive lawn in East Hampton.
Photography © Michael Moran
Gabled end of a modern home with integrated green roof design.
Photography © Michael Moran
Lit entrance of a modern home at dusk in East Hampton.
Photography © Michael Moran
High ceiling living room with contemporary lighting and panoramic view.
Photography © Michael Moran
Modern dining area with artistic pendant lights and garden views.
Photography © Michael Moran
Freestanding bathtub in a wood-accented bathroom filled with daylight.
Photography © Michael Moran
Long wood island and sleek cabinetry in an open kitchen layout.
Photography © Michael Moran
Modern staircase with floating treads and vertical black slats.
Photography © Michael Moran
View of wooden gabled house and landscaped path leading to the pool.
Photography © Michael Moran
Panoramic view of Pierson's Way Residence and pool area at dusk.
Photography © Michael Moran
Minimalist gabled facade with vertical metal cladding and grassy foreground.
Photography © Michael Moran
Modern outdoor kitchen seamlessly integrated into the landscape.
Photography © Michael Moran
View of Pierson’s Way Residence gabled structures and expansive yard.
Photography © Michael Moran

Posted by Bates Masi Architects

Bates Masi + Architects LLC is an award-winning, full-service architecture firm with over 60 years of experience rooted in New York City and the East End of Long Island. Renowned for its meticulous attention to materiality, craftsmanship, and environmental context, the firm delivers bespoke design solutions tailored to each client's unique needs and aspirations. The practice is known for its thoughtful integration of research across multiple disciplines to enrich the built environment and elevate daily life. Their diverse portfolio spans residential, commercial, hospitality, and institutional projects across the United States, Central America, and the Caribbean. Whether urban dwellings, schools, boutique hotels, or custom furniture, each project reflects the studio’s philosophy of design excellence and contextual sensitivity. Since 2003, Bates Masi has earned 243 design awards, with features in leading publications such as Architectural Digest, The New York Times, Interior Design, and Dwell. The firm was honored as one of Residential Architect Magazine’s "50 Architects We Love" and was inducted into the Interior Design Hall of Fame in 2013. Their design legacy is documented in two monographs: Bespoke Home (2016) and Architecture of Place (currently available). Leadership Paul Masi, a native of Montauk and Harvard GSD alumnus, joined the firm in 1998 after working at Richard Meier & Partners. He brings a refined design sensibility rooted in modernist principles and contextual innovation. Harry Bates, the founding partner, studied architecture at North Carolina State University and began his career at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill before launching his own practice in New York City. In 1980, he relocated the firm to Southampton, and its current headquarters is in a custom-designed office in East Hampton.