Genius Loci

The community of Montauk, NY has unexpected and hidden characteristics. The clients could have chosen to vacation anywhere in the world, but were lured to Montauk by the characteristics that make it unique from other areas. The clients challenged the architect to design a house that would embody and capture the “Spirit of Montauk” in the architecture.

The careful organization of the program and detailing of materials orchestrates chance encounters throughout the house. There are multiple layers that are discovered through the unique circulation. Each visitor will have a different experience navigating around and through the house, much like the experience of Montauk. Numerous details occur at unexpected moments and entice secondary looks and further discovery within the house.

The house celebrates the “spirit of the place” of where it is located. With the rise of technology and rapid transmission of information through the internet, the identity of place can be lost. This project explores regionalism and the project evolved from the community it is located.

Bates Masi + Architects, a LEED accredited firm with roots in eastern Long Island for over 40
years, responds to each project with extensive research in related architectural fields,
materials, craft and the environment for unique solutions as varied as the individuals for whom
they are designed. The focus is neither the size nor the type of project but the opportunity to
enrich lives and enhance the environment. This attention to all elements of design has been a
constant in the firm's philosophy. Projects include urban and suburban residences, schools,
offices and furniture in the United States, Central America and the Caribbean, many of which
have been recognized by AIA Design Awards and numerous publications.