Dune Road Beach House

Located on the eastern end of Long Island, the Dune Road beach house by Resolution: 4 Architecture rides the crest of a dune along the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. Completed in June 2012, it is sited on a long barrier reef in a setting that provides the house with views of the ocean immediately to the south and also the bay and marshland to the north.

The house sits at the end of a long drive and the main entry is reached over a long ramp that bridges the naturally duned landscape, which was to remain unscathed. Zoning and allowable square footage requirements determined not only the home’s placement, but also its length, width, and height. In addition to the home’s hurricane-rated structure and windows, the dune itself was rebuilt per environmental standards for protection from any potential damage from the ocean. The use of prefab construction maximized construction efficiency while minimizing disruption to the natural site.

Analogous to the narrow reef, the home’s interior is organized as a linear composition with service spaces and circulation to the north, while open living and sleeping areas are to the south. The client is a young family living in a large apartment in downtown Manhattan. Unlike most second homes owned by city-dwellers, this house is actually smaller than their apartment. Accordingly, time spent here is more akin to camping on the beach than escaping to a rural fortress. The floor-to-ceiling glass wall in the communal space has the effect of sitting on the beach while retaining all the comforts of home, as the south facade closes down for privacy. The second level has four bedrooms, including a bunkroom, and interior stairs leading to a roof deck with a fireplace, hot tub, a space for morning yoga, and commanding views up and down the beach, high above the surrounding houses.