BMASag Harbor Bay
Sag Harbor Bay
Set high on a wooded bluff overlooking Sag Harbor Bay, this one-story residence is a quiet study in restraint and reverence for nature, craft, and spatial clarity. The design emerged from a deep respect for the site, where strict regulations required the preservation of existing vegetation along the bluff’s edge. Rather than compete with the tree canopy, the architecture nestles beneath it embracing filtered views of the water through the rhythm of tree trunks. This decision ultimately shaped the home’s low, horizontal form.
A natural ridge defines the spine of the site, and the architecture responds with three sculptural volumes that step gently down with the land’s topography. Clad in warm cedar shingles, the forms are both contextual and modern recalling the vernacular traditions of the Hamptons while reinterpreting them through a contemporary lens. Each volume is intentionally programmed: the central pavilion houses the public gathering spaces; kitchen, dining, and living while the flanking wings are devoted to the primary suite and the children’s wing, respectively. These volumes are linked by glassy connectors that offer moments of transparency, framing the landscape and allowing seamless ingress and egress.
An unexpected architectural moment greets visitors upon entering each volume: an oculus at the apex of the ceiling draws natural light from above, casting dramatic shadows that animate the interiors throughout the day. These skylights offer a contemplative pause, an inward moment of quiet drama that contrasts with the expansive horizontal views. Clad in cedar shingles inside and out, the oculi subtly reinforce the home’s core themes of materiality, light, and form.
In the central volume, kitchen, dining, and living spaces are unified beneath a vaulted ceiling. Framed by continuous glazing and anchored by a sculptural fireplace, this pavilion blurs the boundary between interior and exterior. The kitchen is both functional and refined, crafted from durable materials that echo the home’s palette and detailed to read more like furniture than millwork. A central island, designed for both entertaining and daily use, grounds the space. Wide-plank European HeartOak flooring with natural cracks locked by oak butterfly joints adds a sense of authenticity and expressive craft. Large-format mosaic stone continues from exterior terraces through the interiors, unifying the architecture and landscape in a tactile continuity.
The private wings offer a more intimate scale, with each room oriented to capture specific views and shifts in light. The primary suite is a secluded retreat featuring a generous bedroom, a spa-like bath, and a private outdoor terrace. Bathrooms throughout the home are minimal in detailing yet rich in material expression; stone, wood, and metal coalesce into serene, immersive environments that feel grounded and luxurious.
On the landward side, a sunken winter courtyard is carved into the hillside; a protected enclave designed for year-round outdoor living. Sheltered from coastal winds and nor’easters, it offers a contrasting spatial experience: introspective, quiet, and deeply attuned to the rhythms of the site.
Craft, material, and landscape converge at Sag Harbor Bay to create a home that is at once bold and understated, sculptural in form, warm in expression, and profoundly rooted in place.
A natural ridge defines the spine of the site, and the architecture responds with three sculptural volumes that step gently down with the land’s topography. Clad in warm cedar shingles, the forms are both contextual and modern recalling the vernacular traditions of the Hamptons while reinterpreting them through a contemporary lens. Each volume is intentionally programmed: the central pavilion houses the public gathering spaces; kitchen, dining, and living while the flanking wings are devoted to the primary suite and the children’s wing, respectively. These volumes are linked by glassy connectors that offer moments of transparency, framing the landscape and allowing seamless ingress and egress.
An unexpected architectural moment greets visitors upon entering each volume: an oculus at the apex of the ceiling draws natural light from above, casting dramatic shadows that animate the interiors throughout the day. These skylights offer a contemplative pause, an inward moment of quiet drama that contrasts with the expansive horizontal views. Clad in cedar shingles inside and out, the oculi subtly reinforce the home’s core themes of materiality, light, and form.
In the central volume, kitchen, dining, and living spaces are unified beneath a vaulted ceiling. Framed by continuous glazing and anchored by a sculptural fireplace, this pavilion blurs the boundary between interior and exterior. The kitchen is both functional and refined, crafted from durable materials that echo the home’s palette and detailed to read more like furniture than millwork. A central island, designed for both entertaining and daily use, grounds the space. Wide-plank European HeartOak flooring with natural cracks locked by oak butterfly joints adds a sense of authenticity and expressive craft. Large-format mosaic stone continues from exterior terraces through the interiors, unifying the architecture and landscape in a tactile continuity.
The private wings offer a more intimate scale, with each room oriented to capture specific views and shifts in light. The primary suite is a secluded retreat featuring a generous bedroom, a spa-like bath, and a private outdoor terrace. Bathrooms throughout the home are minimal in detailing yet rich in material expression; stone, wood, and metal coalesce into serene, immersive environments that feel grounded and luxurious.
On the landward side, a sunken winter courtyard is carved into the hillside; a protected enclave designed for year-round outdoor living. Sheltered from coastal winds and nor’easters, it offers a contrasting spatial experience: introspective, quiet, and deeply attuned to the rhythms of the site.
Craft, material, and landscape converge at Sag Harbor Bay to create a home that is at once bold and understated, sculptural in form, warm in expression, and profoundly rooted in place.
