Pembroke Street Residence

As architect and developer, De-Spec is constructing a modestly refined home as a thoughtful counterpoint to the typical ‘spec house’. Speculation, a central theme in De-Spec’s body of work, gives new dimension to spatial quality for homebuyers. Inspired by the materiality of vernacular beach houses, De-Spec carved space from a dense tree canopy to optimize light both indoors and outdoors. Upon entering one immediately feels a sense of centrality, with the space evenly divided between living and utilitarian functions. The ground floor offers an open floor plan with the living room, dining room and kitchen facing the garden. Connectivity to the outside is enhanced via sliding glass walls that dematerialize upon opening.

Pembroke Street Residence was developed with the intention of developing a ‘readymade’ house or ‘design build’. This is as a counter point to the ‘spec house’ which eliminated the thoughtful architectural process and does not represent a quality in design and construction often required for artful building. The solution for the 1/2 acre lot near the bay beaches in East Hampton was to have the landscape framed by the house to optimize the light on the south wall and to provide maximum open garden space carved from densely covered tree area and natural light to the pool. In order not to overwhelm the street scale, the two-story portion hovers over the master bedroom in the back providing a private deck area nestled into the trees. The architecture inspired by the ‘Vernacular’ consistent of beach houses in North East is made of wide plank white cedar which silverizes over time. The volume of the house disappears in the natural wooded trees wrapping the perimeter of the lot while maintaining privacy. On the roof facing the street, behind the sea grass, solar panels provide supplemental energy to the house.

The ground floor consists of an open floor plan with living room, dining room and kitchen facing the garden, the ceiling are 14’ with minimal sliding glass walls that turn the corner to dematerialize the south wall façade and to enhance its connection to the garden. The entry on central axis of street, lot and the garden divides the house between the living and utilitarian functions. The powder room connects to the outdoors serving the pool shower area and the interior of the house. The bedroom quarters housing three en-suite bedrooms on the second floor and the master suite on the ground floor. The second floor bedrooms each have their own bathrooms and views of the trees, the den on second floor faces a roof garden deck wrapped in sea grass ideal for entertaining at sunset.

Recognition:
Best of Year Award, Finalist, On the Boards: Residential, Pembroke, Interior Design Magazine, 2021