American studio Robert Young Architects has created a weekend home in a coastal hamlet on Long Island, clad in rough-sawn cedar planks that were left untreated so they can age naturally.
The East Lake House is located in Montauk, a village at the eastern tip of New York's Long Island. Robert Young Architects, which has offices in Manhattan and the nearby town of Bridgehampton, was commissioned to design a residence that capitalised on the natural setting.

The clients had purchased two adjoining lots that were sold as one parcel, which is a rarity in the area. The property overlooks Lake Montauk, an embayment that connects to Block Island Sound and the Atlantic Ocean.
Rather than plunk down an oversized house in the middle of the property, the team created two dwellings that are situated on the edge. One serves as the main home, and the other encompasses guest quarters and a garage/boathouse.
"This leaves space in the centre of the property, creating an unobtrusive scale and an overall feel that Young calls 'the opposite of a mansion'," the studio wrote in a project description.
In addition to its unassuming character, the home is meant to embody a harmonious interplay between architecture and its surroundings. "An intrinsic connection to, and respect for, nature defines this weekend residence at every glance," the studio said.

The residence was oriented in a way that maximises views and captures breezes. The front elevations, which face a road, are ...