Residential ArchitectureHousesBeachfront House in New Jersey Designed for a Family of Five

Beachfront House in New Jersey Designed for a Family of Five

Beachfront House in New Jersey Designed for a Family of Five

Architects: Specht Architects
Project: Beachfront  House
Lead Architects: Scott Specht
Location: Beach Haven, Long Beach Island, New Jersey, United States
Area 2500.0 ft2
Photography: Taggart Sorensen
Text by Specht Architects

This beachfront house is located on the Atlantic coast in New Jersey. The lot is on the beachfront, but very small, tucked away from the street, and had many code-regulated square-footage and height restrictions. The challenge was to create something open and light-filled that takes advantage of its beautiful setting, yet uses every available square inch of buildable area allowed by law.

Beachfront House in New Jersey Designed for a Family of Five 1

The house was initially designed in 2012, and construction had just begun when Hurricane Sandy swept through the area causing major damage and beach erosion. Shortly thereafter, FEMA changed all the regulations regarding beachfront houses, which required a “start from scratch” redesign of the whole house. The clients, obviously, were not happy, but understanding, and we reworked the design in accordance with the new regulations. It is the only modern beachfront house in Beach Haven that was designed in accordance with these new rules, and a model for how a house can be resistant to winds and storm surge, yet still remain very aesthetically appealing.

Beachfront House in New Jersey Designed for a Family of Five 2

Many (if not most) houses built to current regulations on the coast are basically traditional styles, elevated on pilings to the required flood level. Even when the pilings are covered with panels, the proportions often are not pleasing, and they appear awkward or ad-hoc. Our intent with the Beach Haven house was to embrace the fact that the house had to be elevated on what are basically telephone poles driven into the sand, and use these as major design components, to be expressed and highlighted.

Beachfront House in New Jersey Designed for a Family of Five 3

The beachfront house was designed for a family of five. The upper level features a beachfront master suite, and each child has their own, uniquely styled “ship’s cabin”. The lower level includes a guest room / office, lounge, elevated hot tub area, and a large living / dining / kitchen space. We drove a series of pilings at the perimeter of the house that remain exposed, and form linear colonnades that integrate with the overall form of the house. All of this fits within a compact 2500 square foot envelope.

Beachfront House in New Jersey Designed for a Family of Five 4

This is first and foremost a beachfront house. It not only responds to the client’s needs, but to the extreme environmental conditions of the Jersey Shore. The house packs a lot of program into its relatively small envelope, while maintaining an interior that is bright and open. Clerestory windows or narrow slot windows are used on the sides facing adjacent houses, and full-height glass looks to the sea.

Beachfront House in New Jersey Designed for a Family of Five 3

Techniques that are often used in boat building were used in the construction of the house. The roof is all fiberglass, and the exterior components all stainless steel. Windows are of the highest hurricane-rating available. The form of the house was developed by extruding the entire buildable footprint to the maximum height allowable, and sculpturally carving the resultant mass. We also used a combination of eastern white cedar and western red cedar as the exterior cladding, stained and bleached to create different shades and textures, to emphasize the sculptural quality of the house. Cedar has proven over time to be extremely durable in a beach environment.

Beachfront House in New Jersey Designed for a Family of Five 6

Beachfront House in New Jersey Designed for a Family of Five 7

Beachfront House in New Jersey Designed for a Family of Five 8

Beachfront House in New Jersey Designed for a Family of Five 9

Beachfront House in New Jersey Designed for a Family of Five 10

Beachfront House in New Jersey Designed for a Family of Five 11

Beachfront House in New Jersey Designed for a Family of Five 12

Beachfront House in New Jersey Designed for a Family of Five 13

Beachfront House in New Jersey Designed for a Family of Five 14

Subscribe to our newsletter

Semi-Detached Home Renovation by Spaceworkers

The intervention in a semi-detached home, located in a perfectly consolidated urban area of the city of Oporto, had as its objective the simplification of the way of dwelling, of a house that already accused the passage of time.

GP House by OWN+ Felipe Caboclo Arquitetura

Located in the Yucatán Country Club Golf Club on the Yucatán peninsula, the GP House was born from a collaboration between friendly firms which have a very similar way of projecting.

Brooklyn Heights Townhouse by Baxt Ingui Architects

The owner of this home envisioned a beautiful but comfortable single family home that could last for generations and facilitate their busy lifestyle. They wanted open spaces that connected and communicated well with each other where the interior and exterior spaces flowed effortlessly and also provided for elevator access to each level including the roof.

Modern Ranch Escape by Studio VARA

When the owners purchased this 1970’s ranch home in Kentfield, Marin County, it was dark, dank, and in danger of sliding down a hill. The interior was dated and needed to be updated to modern standards.

Hamptons Compound by Deborah Berke Partners

We designed this Hamptons compound when the property’s existing, beloved Norman Jaffe house no longer fit our client’s needs. We began by designing a master plan for the 7.6 acre site.

Recommended Stories