Stamberg Aferiat Architecture specializes in “Finding simple solutions to difficult architectural problems.”

Setting out to build an utterly groundbreaking home on Shelter Island for the most discerning clients [themselves!] was no easy feat. Yet, Stamberg Aferiat Architecture conceived of a breathtaking, colorful island retreat nicknamed “Maison Plastique,” intended to reference Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona Pavilion.

Peter Stamberg has written two books and has been the subject of many magazine articles. His “Cardinal Dotts” chair is in the Contemporary Design Archive of the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum in New York.

Paul Aferiat began his architectural training in the offices of Giorgio Cavaliere. Later, he worked for legendary Richard Meier and Partners Architects. In the office of Gwathmey Siegel, he was in charge of the American Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria amongst other major commercial and residential projects.

“Our Shelter Island home is nestled on Cockles Harbor marina, 600 feet from the water. We walk down to our own beach front. We are beach and ocean people and find the calm in our lives here,” shares the design dream team.

Enjoy this incredibly special Hamptons home! Thank you Peter and Paul for sharing Maison Plastique with KDHamptons readers…

KDHamptons: What do you think makes your home so special?

Stamberg Aferiat: The change of light, and quality of light, changes during the day. This house celebrates light. Contained by translucent walls, the house becomes a lantern and takes on the mood of the day. Being in our home allows us to celebrate the transit of lite over the course of the year. It is incredibly unique.

KDH: Why did you choose to build on Shelter Island?

Stamberg Aferiat: We chose Shelter Island because we had designed a house for a client there and fell in love it. The rolling hills and wooded topography has a “New Englandy” feel we enjoy. We also like taking the ferry because makes us feel a world apart, more calm, and an comforting isolation.

KDHamptons: From where, or whom do you get your inspiration?

Stamberg Aferiat: Jackson Pollock, de Kooning,  all the extraordinary things that have happened in the 30’s… Given the art history of the Hamptons, we wanted to build a house that explores different ideas. The Hamptons has always been an image of the experimental. The community is open to it; it’s an area that doesn’t shun people experimentally.

KDH: What are your favorite things to do on Shelter Island?

Stamberg Aferiat: We like to walk the Mashomack Preserve trails. The magical part about the island is that a third of it is preserved as reserve. We live here most of the summer, but love to come out all year round.  Friends come to visit, we ride around on bikes, no cars~ one time we spent three full weeks riding bikes on the island!

KDH: What are your top two Shelter Island restaurants?

Stamberg Aferiat: The Vine Street Cafe and Sunset beach are our favorite restaurants.

KDH: Do you ever leave The Rock [Shelter Island’s nickname!]?

Stamberg Aferiat: The only thing that drags us off the island is old friends.  We really prefer having people over to us,  and cook fish and simple menus with local farm ingredients.

KDH: Please describe some of the interesting design details of your home?

Stamberg Aferiat: The house is comprised of Pavilions including a loft space, the living room with 14 feet high ceilings and a sofa system that anchors the center of the room. The sofa is a 360° hang out. A warm glow enters the room from the translucent lite.  The dining table that folds away. Our fireplace is made by Fireorb, we designed the two Knoll Salsa chairs [available on Knoll.com] and we also have Knoll Bretoia chairs on the patio.

KDH: What does a typical day on the island look like?

Stamberg/ Aferiat: We are early risers. First, we head to the muffin shop, maybe run a 10k, come back home, have breakfast, walk down to the water and take a swim… Jonathan Adler and Simon Doonan are our island pals, so sometimes we plan a fun lunch with them.

KDH: Has the house brought you more experimental clients as you had hoped?

Stamberg Aferiat: Yes, definitely! We completed The Saguaro Hotel in Scottsdale, Arizona, our first venture into hospitality. [Check out the incredible design and color, below, of this project, KDH can’t wait to visit!]

KDH: What is your craziest client story or anecdote?

Stamberg Aferiat: We actually had a client in East Hampton who, when she saw our house, said, “Why couldn’t you have designed this for me?”  And we said, ‘We did! You rejected it!’

KDH: Which local businesses played a key part of building your home?

Stamberg Aferiat: Tom deVries of deVries and Wallace, a longtime East End builder/contractor, was up for the challenge~ our house would not be standing with out him! Liberty Ironworks in Southampton also played a key role in the project.

KDHamptons: If you could build a home for anyone you want, who would be your dream client?

Stamberg Aferiat: [Peter] My dream client to build a house for would be David Hockney. He is a dear friend, and a huge inspiration in our lives. We reference him often in terms of how he perceives the world of art. Paul would say Isaac Newton.

KDH: If you could describe your design style in one word, what would it be?

Stamberg Aferiat: “Joyful” is one word to describe our design style.

*For more information on Stamberg Aferiat please go to: www.stambergaferiat.com

*Location: Peter Stamberg, Stamberg Aferiat Architecture, 126 5th Avenue, NYC; 212.255.1830

*Copyright for all photos by Paul Warchol.