This Secluded Summer Sanctuary Makes the Most of Montauk’s Rugged Beauty
South African architecture studio SAOTA has created a beach house that offers a tranquil respite from the bustle of New York, complete with chic styling by interior designer Rafael de Cárdenas.
The property featured in this story was designed by the South African architecture studio SAOTA and is located between Old Montauk Highway and the Atlantic Ocean in Montauk, New York. This rugged and windswept stretch of coastline is defined by its natural beauty, and the expansive beach house property is carefully embedded into a steep, rugged bluff, respecting the contours of the surrounding landscape. This untamed part of Long Island features towering cliffs, rocky shores, and sweeping ocean views shaped by relentless wind and waves.
Coastal scrub, beach grass, and hardy shrubs cling to the dunes, stabilising the fragile ecosystem. The area is part of the larger Montauk Point State Park, and this wild, unspoiled terrain offers solitude and a raw Atlantic energy, making it a beloved escape. SAOTA’s design references the regional vernacular of shingle-clad homes and farmhouses and is respectfully designed to nestle in the unspoilt landscape. The beach house is barely visible from the street level, a testament to the architects seeking to maintain an understated impact on the surrounding landscape.
The building has a weathered look that embraces the colours of the coastal area, with the entire upper structure clad in charred Shou Sugi Ban timber. This offers resilience in the face of the strong Nor’easter winds that can hit in the colder seasons, and a warm contrast to the serene, open interiors by Rafael de Càrdenas. Within the multi-level home, his trademark use of pale timber surfaces and soft colours reflects the softer colours of the Montauk seafront, as the home descends from street level, offering an uninterrupted view of the Atlantic horizon.
This Secluded Summer Sanctuary Makes the Most of Montauk’s Rugged Beauty
Photo by Thomas Loof, courtesy of SAOTA.
This Secluded Summer Sanctuary Makes the Most of Montauk’s Rugged Beauty
Photo by Thomas Loof, courtesy of SAOTA.
This Secluded Summer Sanctuary Makes the Most of Montauk’s Rugged Beauty
Photo by Thomas Loof, courtesy of SAOTA.
This Secluded Summer Sanctuary Makes the Most of Montauk’s Rugged Beauty
Photo by Thomas Loof, courtesy of SAOTA.
This Secluded Summer Sanctuary Makes the Most of Montauk’s Rugged Beauty
Photo by Thomas Loof, courtesy of SAOTA.
This Secluded Summer Sanctuary Makes the Most of Montauk’s Rugged Beauty
Photo by Thomas Loof, courtesy of SAOTA.
This Secluded Summer Sanctuary Makes the Most of Montauk’s Rugged Beauty
Photo by Thomas Loof, courtesy of SAOTA.
This Secluded Summer Sanctuary Makes the Most of Montauk’s Rugged Beauty
Photo by Thomas Loof, courtesy of SAOTA.
This Secluded Summer Sanctuary Makes the Most of Montauk’s Rugged Beauty
Photo by Thomas Loof, courtesy of SAOTA.
This Secluded Summer Sanctuary Makes the Most of Montauk’s Rugged Beauty
Photo by Thomas Loof, courtesy of SAOTA.
This Secluded Summer Sanctuary Makes the Most of Montauk’s Rugged Beauty
Photo by Thomas Loof, courtesy of SAOTA.
The spacious beach house comprises three main levels, with the entrance set in the uppermost timber-clad form, which also houses a study and the main bedroom. A complementing lower level is clad in granite, while a central, open-plan glazed level is the heart of the home. Here, the modern kitchen, dining, and open-plan living area embrace the zen of the coastal landscape, a theme that continues in a series of terraced outdoor platforms and a pool area. We are left with an impression of grounded, restrained elegance, and a home that respectfully never attempts to outshine the inescapable pull of the natural beauty of Montauk and its wild coastline.
SAOTA was founded in 1986 in Cape Town, South Africa, and is renowned for its modernist, climate-responsive architecture. Initially influenced by regional vernacular, the firm evolved into a global leader in luxury residential design, blending indoor-outdoor living with sleek, contemporary aesthetics. Key SAOTA projects include cliffside homes in South Africa, penthouses in Dubai, and European villas, emphasising light, space, and connection to nature.
