The Arc House is a private residence designed by Maziar Behrooz Architecture for a retired couple and their two big dogs in East Hampton, New York. The arc contains the living, dining and kitchen areas in an open plan reminiscent of a loft. The entry canopy to the arch and a few other components within it are at a height of seven feet, creating a touchable lower plane within the larger structure. To allow the client flexibility to add future bedrooms, the architects decided to house them in a flat- roofed section, in the rear, that is made of structural insulated panels.

The lower level houses an office, a sitting room, a garage and work out areas; part of the lower level opens to a courtyard that allows cool air circulation and a distinctly private outdoor space. More than 3,200 of the four-bedroom home’s roughly 6,400 square feet are located in the lower level, making the house appear more than twice as big from the side as it does from the front. By splicing the house into the landscape, the architects were able to transform the flat site into one with multiple horizons and take advantage of natural cooling and passive design. The energy usage of the house is 1/5 of conventional houses; due to both the arc shape and materials used. Conventional lumber was only used in interior partition wall studs and the exterior cedar siding around the bedroom section.

Photos: Matthew Carbone and Adam Friedberg