Architectural Accord
An Architecturally Integrated Kitchen with Oza Sabbeth Architects
Sag Harbor, New York
Architecture by Oza Sabbeth Architects
Builder: Modern Green Home
Architecture by Oza Sabbeth Architects
Builder: Modern Green Home
It was a house with a split personality. Literally. Two brothers—who apparently had either disparate tastes or a strong distaste for each other—had designed a house that was comprised of two different homes seamed together. The only thing they had in common was the central adjoining wall with a (closed) door. An architectural mismatch under one roof.
It was a project focused on unifying competing interests, not only in the existing architecture, but also when it came to the practical needs of the reimagined home: the conflict of private vs. public areas, of crowd-accommodating vs. intimate spaces, of structure vs. softness, of refined vs. relaxed.
A collaborative team was assembled to orchestrate this endeavor: Oza Sabbeth Architects, known for its “radical reimaginations” of existing homes, driven in part by a sustainability-focused approach, as well as taking on the challenge of designing new spaces within existing shells; Modern Green Home, Oza Sabbeth’s building arm that would ensure tight coordination between the design and build; and Henrybuilt, who had designed the client’s New York City kitchen.
“We love how our kitchen in the city works and feels,” says the client. “We wanted to bring that same quality and feeling to this home.”
A collaborative team was assembled to orchestrate this endeavor: Oza Sabbeth Architects, known for its “radical reimaginations” of existing homes, driven in part by a sustainability-focused approach, as well as taking on the challenge of designing new spaces within existing shells; Modern Green Home, Oza Sabbeth’s building arm that would ensure tight coordination between the design and build; and Henrybuilt, who had designed the client’s New York City kitchen.
“We love how our kitchen in the city works and feels,” says the client. “We wanted to bring that same quality and feeling to this home.”
What was previously the dividing line between the two “homes within a house” was reimagined as the central communal gathering spot.
Framing delineates the dining space and gives it an intimate feel. It flows to the living room on one side...
Framing delineates the dining space and gives it an intimate feel. It flows to the living room on one side...
...And to the kitchen on the other.
A Henrybuilt Night & Day table is a visual and practical centerpiece that the clients use for meals, meetings, or making crafts with their grandchildren.
A Henrybuilt Night & Day table is a visual and practical centerpiece that the clients use for meals, meetings, or making crafts with their grandchildren.
PRIMARY OBJECTS
Heirloom-quality furniture pieces pair well with Henrybuilt’s integrated systems, sharing a common DNA that focuses on functional elegance, flexibility, and the quality of the everyday experience in a home. Available individually.
Oza Sabbeth’s design demanded a quiet, architecturally integrated kitchen. The clients sought a sophisticated, performance-forward cooking zone. Henrybuilt's approach made these disparate demands possible by marrying a system approach to product innovation with a natural, highly crafted feel, focused on enhancing the experience of living in the home.
“The flexibility of Henrybuilt's system in concert with our architectural design resulted in a room with one voice—its own voice,” says Oza Sabbeth Principal Peter Sabbeth.
Serene, and customized to blend with the architecture, on the outside.
Hidden function, to provide an intuitive and precise experience for the cook, on the inside.
Another “mismatch” that was overcome was the desire to achieve a space that could accommodate crowds without interrupting the flow of making and serving meals. Using Henrybuilt’s system, the island was designed with “outcroppings.” One corrals people with seating, and the other provides a “self-serve” area, keeping the cooking zone free from traffic jams.
A shelf unit, where kids of all ages grab toys and games, caps one side of the island.
The self-serve station for morning coffee and evening spirits acts as a host in its own right. More importantly, it pulls the making and serving from the cooking area.
“Henrybuilt’s drink zone design was a small idea with such a big impact on how the space works, especially when it is a bustling family summer house,” says the client.
Hidden to the right, one unassuming door leads into the client’s private office and reading room.
“Henrybuilt’s drink zone design was a small idea with such a big impact on how the space works, especially when it is a bustling family summer house,” says the client.
Hidden to the right, one unassuming door leads into the client’s private office and reading room.
A matchmaker between the home’s communal and private spaces, the secret entrance blends seamlessly into the adjacent storage, demonstrating the magic of the Henrybuilt system when pieces work together flawlessly.
A NATURAL HAUTE COUTURE
We instinctively seek out ways to live closer to nature, often by bringing wood into our homes. We want to do this responsibly, in a way that leaves just the right amount of the tree’s personality in the room. Otherwise, the magic of the wood vanishes.
“One regret in our city home is that we didn’t use Henrybuilt throughout the space, especially in the areas connected to the kitchen,” said the client. “The result would have been better if we had—so we didn’t want to make that mistake this time around.”
Henrybuilt’s system includes architectural wall panels—some activated with innovative functionality—and storage options that enable a holistic approach, extending the experiential and material attributes throughout the space.
The system’s end result: a symphony of storage, seating, and architectural detail that carries from the kitchen to the entry.
It was a collaboration that enabled conflicting interests to play in unison.
