![Cube House by Leroy Street Studio](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2017/08/cube-house-leroy-street-studio_dezeen_2364_hero-852x479.jpg)
Cube House by Leroy Street Studio is a family beach retreat in the Hamptons
Flood danger and a footprint restriction led to the elevated cube-like design of this Hamptons house by New York firm Leroy Street Studio.
![Cube House by Leroy Street Studio](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2017/08/cube-house-leroy-street-studio_dezeen_2364_col_7-852x1065.jpg)
The Cube House is located beside Westhampton Beach in Long Island, and area popular with wealthy New Yorkers who like to holiday a short ride from the city. It was designed for multiple generations of a family, who wanted large spaces for entertaining and cosy areas for relaxing in privacy.
![Cube House by Leroy Street Studio](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2017/08/cube-house-leroy-street-studio_dezeen_2364_col_0-852x568.jpg)
The site was previously occupied by an 800-square-foot (74-square-metre) shack and deck, which were damaged beyond repair by a series of storms.
Planning restrictions meant that the previous footprint could not be increased, so the architects designed an almost cubed-shaped structure – 40 by 30 by 30 feet (12 by nine by nine metres) – to accommodate all the required spaces.
![Cube House by Leroy Street Studio](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2017/08/cube-house-leroy-street-studio_dezeen_2364_col_8-852x647.jpg)
"Conceived of as a floating cube perched on timber piles, hovering over the wetlands, the house is a deceivingly simple platonic mass that conceals a complex multi-level dwelling and exterior spaces within its volume," said Leroy Street Studio, which provided both design and build services for the project.
![Cube House by Leroy Street Studio](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2017/08/cube-house-leroy-street-studio_dezeen_2364_col_2-852x1065.jpg)
As it is located in a flood zone, the building had to be raised 11 feet (3.4 metres) above grade. Thin stilts elevate the structure, and a staircase doglegs up to the first level.
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From the double-height entrance foyer, an open-plan kitchen and dining area unfolds to the left. Large portions of glazing lead onto a partially covered balcony and a separate, larger porch at the back.
![Cube House by Leroy Street Studio](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2017/08/cube-house-leroy-street-studio_dezeen_2364_col_6-852x1278.jpg)
Up a few steps from the front door is the master suite, which occupies the full slightly lifted level. The extra space beneath is used for mechanical services.
![Cube House by Leroy Street Studio](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2017/08/cube-house-leroy-street-studio_dezeen_2364_col_3-852x1278.jpg)
A full stair flight divides the plan in two and continues up to the second-storey lounge. The entertaining space comes complete with a bar, and also opens onto a terrace through sliding glass doors.
![Cube House by Leroy Street Studio](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2017/08/cube-house-leroy-street-studio_dezeen_2364_col_4-852x1236.jpg)
Bedrooms and bathrooms for the children and grandparents are slotted into the other half of the upper floor. White surfaces and wooden floors feature throughout.
![Cube House by Leroy Street Studio](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2017/08/cube-house-leroy-street-studio_dezeen_2364_col_1-852x1278.jpg)
Flush, thin wood boards wrap horizontally around the exterior, interrupted by large openings that allow plenty of light inside. "The facade is a playful composition of carefully located openings that obscure the scale of the building and highlight scenic views out to the surrounding water," Leroy Street Studio said.
![Cube House by Leroy Street Studio](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2017/08/cube-house-leroy-street-studio_dezeen_2364_col_10-852x568.jpg)
The firm has completed a couple of similar projects on Long Island, including a cedar-clad villa raised on timber pilotis and a retreat that provides glimpses of nearby water on arrival.
Photography is by Chris Payne.