Explore our project "The Bluff at Flower Hill"
Set high above Hempstead Harbor on Long Island’s North Shore, this proposed residence is shaped by a steep, dramatic site and an expansive relationship to the water.
Rather than treating the hillside as an obstacle, the design uses the topography as a defining element of the architecture. A steel pier foundation elevates the residence above the slope, allowing the building to touch the ground lightly while reducing disturbance to the existing landscape. The structural approach gives the house a sense of suspension above the terrain and creates uninterrupted opportunities to look outward toward the harbor.
The architecture is organized around this elevated experience. Interior spaces are positioned to capture long views across the water, while generous terraces extend the living areas beyond the enclosure of the house. These outdoor spaces become a continuation of the architecture—places to gather, retreat, and experience the landscape from different elevations and perspectives.
Green roof terraces further blur the distinction between building and site. Integrated into the composition of the house, the planted roofs soften the architecture within the hillside while creating additional usable exterior space and reinforcing the connection between landscape and structure.
The design balances a strong contemporary expression with a restrained response to its natural setting. Structure, landscape, and view work together to create a residence that feels both anchored to the hillside and remarkably light within it.
Approved by the Village of Flower Hill Architectural Review Committee, the project establishes a carefully considered architectural framework for a distinctive North Shore residence—one defined by its relationship to topography, landscape, and the sweeping horizon of Hempstead Harbor.
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