KGPdesign studio

Located in Harvey Cedars, on Long Beach Island, NJ, this vacation house replaces an earlier residence swept away by Hurricane Sandy. The cedar-clad structure raised on piers resembles its 19th-century predecessors, using local indigenous materials and vernacular transposed to a contemporary idiom. In response to the intense summer sun, a porch of cedar slats wraps around the south side, expanding to a 2-story volume framing the view to the bay on the west side. The raised living level is seamlessly connected to the bay level with a generous staircase flanked by stepped seating areas, acknowledging the family pastime of "bay watching."

The open 2-story layout easily accommodates the newly acquired influx of weekend beachgoers by retaining a private upper level for the family. In contrast, the lower level contains a second main bedroom and a dormitory room that sleeps six. Consequently, the flexibility in the living/dining area extending to the south porch will allow for the intimacy and open informality one desires in a vacation setting.