Found in Amagansett, New York, the Elizabeth II home from Bates Masi Architects was built with acoustics in mind. Each material used was chosen for how they would manipulate and enhance the structure’s interior, characterized by parallel walls that give privacy and insulate the house from the town noise outside. 

As the first design of its kind from the company, Bates Masi put most of their focus on performance spaces and not the home’s overall aesthetic. Because the half-acre plot is in the middle of a bustling resort town, the firm spent a lot of time researching how “architectural acoustics [drive] the form, materials and detail of the house.” 

“Our design goal was not to have an acoustically correct space, but to instead have an acoustical variation within the space that provides different experiences throughout the house,” explained owner Paul Masi. “The challenge was one of scale.”

Built for about $2 million, one of the key design elements is the use of stepped walls, including one that stands taller than the rest of the structure to act as an “acoustic shadow” that blocks sound. Instead of using traditional screws or nails to create the wood siding, the company chose custom stainless steel clips that not only give a really cool aesthetic, but also allow the wood to expand naturally without harming the home’s structural integrity. Hinges are even used in some areas, which enable the owners to adjust how much sound is allowed through the boards, while the staircase was designed to taper in thickness to change the way footfalls sound with each step.

Architectural acoustics are more often applied in public spaces like concert halls and restaurants, making the Elizabeth II unique in its class.