Between cedar ceilings and ocean views surfboard house on the beach

Regulations and possibilities

Five years after Hurricane Sandy devastated the cooperative community on Breezy Point beach in Queens, among the various architecture projects developed in the area, this one by BFDO Architects is interesting to tell for several aspects. The studio designed an independent villa, whose project was based on a lot reduced to sand. The houses in Breezy Point are close and connected by pedestrian paths; cars are confined to lots on the periphery. The client's site was unusually large, with the facade facing south. Flood regulations required the building to be at least six meters above ground, and cooperative regulations set the maximum building height.

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The sea in the background

The resulting building envelope is much less deep than wide, allowing almost all rooms to have an ocean view. One of the main design ideas was the south-facing facade to allow windows to wrap around the corners. This created diagonal views up and down the beach, framing vistas and visually expanding the interior spaces. The angular roof profiles and ceiling finishes also direct the eye upward and outward.

Functionality and comfort

Access to the house is provided at two points. A staircase leading from the beach lands on a bridge that spans the width of the house (and has become a main party spot). The west side of the house abuts a pedestrian path. A separate switchback staircase allows access from that path to the side entry, which flows between the volumes corresponding to the living room and an indoor/outdoor tub/shower. Because it is accessible from the outside, that skylit bathroom provides a place to rinse off and stash swimsuits and towels before entering the house.

To each their own space

These two entrances flank the volume of the living room, which is defined by a raised cedar ceiling, nine-foot high sliding glass doors to the south, and a roof with diagonal slopes. On the other side of the dining room, the kitchen abuts the staircase to the second floor in an L-shaped alcove. The clients wanted separate areas for adults and children to live and entertain. This was achieved by placing the main suite on the main floor, so that the children can have the second floor.

Beach View

On the east side, the master bedroom has wraparound windows that look east towards the undeveloped beachfront. A bathroom and a walk-in closet buffer the bedroom from a northern parking lot. A change in level allows a portion of the deck to connect directly to the main suite.

Project Details

Upstairs, three small bedrooms feel expansive thanks to their corner views. A game room opens onto a covered deck. The roof wrapped in fiberglass culminates in a large overhang resembling a surfboard that shields the first floor from increasing solar heat. The white cedar cladding wraps around the building and roof overhangs and insets the sides of the deck, helping the house blend in despite its innovative appearance.