Robins Way House- A Weekend Retreat for an Interior Designer and a DJ by Bates Masi Architects

  • Project: Robins Way House
  • Architect: Bates Masi Architects
  • Location: United States, Amagansett, New York
  • Year: 2011
  • Area: 186 m2

In Amagansett, New York, Robins Way / Bates Masi Architects reimagines a 1960s prefabricated kit house as a peaceful weekend escape for a creative couple—a DJ and an interior designer—seeking refuge from urban life. Their goal was not just a renovation, but a sensory-rich reinvention grounded in sustainability, acoustic performance, and visual storytelling.

Reinventing the Old: From Skeleton to Sanctuary

The original structure was stripped to its post-and-beam framework, laying the groundwork for a new architectural language. Within this framework, Bates Masi Architects wove a vision that preserved the soul of the old house while infusing it with modern materials and functionality.

A defining element of the design is a digitally fabricated rope ceiling system. Woven between existing joists, this tactile material does more than add texture. It becomes a multifunctional solution: softening acoustics, integrating lighting, and concealing technical components. For a DJ homeowner, this innovation isn’t just aesthetic—it’s functional, turning the ceiling into an acoustic baffle that enhances sound quality while absorbing ambient noise.

The Rope as Structure and Style

The rope element evolves from ceiling detail into structural and visual focal points. In the Master Bathroom, it supports a custom steel-framed mirror. In the Dining Room, it holds a sculptural chandelier. A large sliding screen, also woven from the same natural rope, filters sunlight and provides privacy from neighboring homes, casting elegant shadows across the floor throughout the day.

Sustainable Materials: A Story in Texture

Throughout the project, reclaimed barn wood introduces warmth and continuity. It clads new interior walls and cabinetry and even forms the surround of a glass-enclosed shower, creating the illusion of bathing in nature. This choice not only reflects the clients’ appreciation for material patina and history but also emphasizes a commitment to resourceful reuse over wasteful new construction.

Exterior Harmony and Contextual Response

The exterior is unified with dark-stained cedar siding, flowing seamlessly across facades and into the frames of newly installed windows and doors. This treatment ensures that new interventions speak the same visual language as the original structure, maintaining harmony and minimizing visual disruption to the neighborhood.

A Model for Responsible Vacation Architecture

In a community often driven by teardown culture, Robins Way stands as a case study in preservation and transformation. Rather than erase the past, the architects chose to reinterpret it, celebrating the home’s original bones while weaving in new life through materials and craftsmanship.

This thoughtful reinvention by Bates Masi Architects exemplifies how timeless design can emerge from constraint—and how architecture can respond to both personal narrative and environmental awareness.

Rustic bathroom design featuring a wooden vanity, black fixtures, and natural light.
Photography © Bates Masi Architects
Minimalist bathtub corner with floor-to-ceiling window and wooden ceiling detail.
Photography © Bates Masi Architects
Rustic dining and kitchen area with exposed beams and circular chandelier.
Photography © Bates Masi Architects
Modern kitchen with industrial bar stools and reclaimed wood finishes.
Photography © Bates Masi Architects
Cozy living room with a brick fireplace and large windows overlooking the forest.
Photography © Bates Masi Architects
Fireplace corner with vintage furniture, stacked firewood, and beautiful natural light.
Photography © Bates Masi Architects
Dining room with pool view and double rustic chandelier framed by floor-to-ceiling windows.
Photography © Bates Masi Architects
Backyard deck with brick chimney, lounge chairs, and a serene green lawn.
Photography © Bates Masi Architects
Modern one-story house with large glass doors, reflecting lights by the pool at dusk.
Photography © Bates Masi Architects
Architectural floor plan of the house showing room layout and labeled spaces.
Site plan of the residential project with driveway, entry path, pool, and playing field.
Modern deck outside bedroom and bathroom with two wooden lounge chairs.
Photography © Bates Masi Architects

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.