Fishers Island, New York, USA
Situated atop a rocky hill, the Pointer Perch Residence by Charles Haver and Stewart Skolnick of Haver & Skolnick Architects, offers panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean and was conceived as a minimalist retreat for the architects themselves— and their dog, Keeper.
The site, within a residential park designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. in the 1920s, originally featured unobstructed views across native grasslands sprinkled with boulders.
A century later, the property had become overgrown with dense brush and invasive vines, completely obscuring the views.
For its design excellence, the project has been awarded a 2024 American Architecture Awards by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.
The design goal was to restore Olmsted’s original vision, creating a meadow of native grasses as the setting for the house. Architectural Concepts.
The house’s form was generated by a desire to climb as high as possible to capture the panoramic ocean views, with the living spaces placed at the top of the tower, and the bedroom below.
A walk-out basement provides convenient storage for garden and sporting equipment.
The architectural style is influenced by the island’s eclectic shingled cottages, built at turn of the 20th century, reinterpreted in a contemporary dynamic form.
The exterior materials were selected for their low maintenance and durability in the harsh maritime environment.
A simple cross-axial parti organizes the plan on all floors.
The upper floor features two interconnecting square rooms, each with a pyramidal ceiling.
The crisp white interiors, accented by hand-hewn beams and rift and quarter-sawn oak flooring and doors, provide an elegant backdrop for the owner’s collection of antiques and contemporary abstract art.
Project: Pointer Perch Residence
Architects: Haver & Skolnick Architects
Lead Architects: Charles Haver and Stewart Skolnick
General Contractor: H.P. Broom – Housewright, Inc.
Client: Haver & Skolnick Architects
Photographers: Robert Benson Photography
