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Bates Masi + Architects LLC, a full-service architectural firm with roots in New York City and the East End of Long Island for over 45 years, responds to each project with extensive research in related architectural fields, material, craft and environment for unique solutions as varied as the individuals or groups for whom they are designed. The focus is neither the size nor the type of project but the opportunity to enrich lives and enhance the environment. The attention to all elements of design has been a constant in the firm’s philosophy. Projects include urban and suburban residences, schools, offices, hotels, restaurants, retail and furniture in the United States, Central America and the Caribbean. The firm has received 43 design awards since 2003 and has been featured in national and international publications including The New York Times, New York Magazine, Architectural Digest, Architectural Record, Metropolitan Home, and Dwell. Residential Architect Magazine selected Bates Masi one of their 50 Architect’s We Love. A gallery exhibition in May 2010 featured the firm’s earlier work from 1960-70.

 

Paul Masi spent childhood summers in Montauk and currently resides in Amagansett. He received a Bachelor of Architecture from Catholic University and a Masters of Architecture from the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University. He worked at Richard Meier & Partners before joining this firm in 1998.

Harry Bates, a resident of East Hampton, received a Bachelor of Architecture from North Carolina State University. After ten years with Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, he was in private practice in New York City for 17 years before moving the firm to Southampton on the East End in 1980. Our offices are currently located in Sag Harbor with plans to relocate to a new LEED Certified office building of our own design in East Hampton.

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Monte Brisas

Lot size: 2 acres

Building size: 3,200 sq. ft.

Location: Vieques Island, Puerto Rico

Program: Single Family Residence, Guest House, Pools, Courtyards, Service Building, Garage



This vacation house on the island of Vieques focuses on environmentally enriching the site with its construction. The design responds to the naval testing on the eastern end of the island, suspended four years ago, by helping to maintain the natural balance of Vieques.

The house is constructed with a simple palette of materials including raw concrete and accents of wood siding to avoid overwhelming the rich natural surrounding. The plan is organized into layers of activity zones: parking, utility, living, courtyard and water. These zones step down a steep slope blending into the natural profile of a hill to provide privacy and unique architectural moments. At the water zone, a seamless sequence of water activities begins to unfold from the jacuzzi. The jacuzzi turns into the lounge chair pool where stepping-stones lead to a ramp to a lower level, and submerged skylights illuminate the room below with wave patterns. The lounge pool gradually deepens to become the upper swimming pool, which spills over an edge to a lower pool creating a waterfall. Behind this waterfall, stepping-stones lead to the lower patio open to an ocean view. The water zone illustrates how each activity zone acts as a filter, slowing daily activities to create a memorable moment or experience.

The house components have multiple functions and take a part in a larger environmental cycle. Plaster, high in alkalinity, is applied at rooftop & patio catchments to neutralize any acidity there might be in the rain from Puerto Rico. Further, the rooftop catchments are filled with crushed limestone to remove large debris from the first wash of rain and to add calcium to the water for better plant growth. From these catchments, water pours over sunshades and privacy screens, acting as filtration fabric to remove finer particles. Once filtered, the water is stored in cisterns and used to supply the house and to irrigate alpine pennycress gardens. This plant is a type of phytoremedian, which performs biological remediation of environmental soil contaminated with zinc and cadmium, heavy metals found at the eastern end of Vieques. The plant seeds may be dispersed over the affected areas of the island by feeding birds. For hot water, the house utilizes an ICS (integrated collector storage) system, which uses sunlight to directly heat water pumped from the cistern to solar hot water panels on the rooftop. Electricity to operate ICS pumps and appliances is generated by photoelectric cells installed on the rooftop alongside the hot water panels. The house not only takes advantage of the Vieques climate, it also improves the site condition with soil nourishing materials and gardens.

As the site, occupants, and rainwater filter through the house, a sequence of architectural experiences is uncovered to orchestrate a unique Caribbean lifestyle.

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