Recognized on Forbes’ list of America’s Best-in-State Residential Architects, this is The Osprey House by Desai Chia Architecture. This luxury home located on Shelter Island and designed for a local builder, draws its entire concept from the area’s native osprey. The architects took clues from the birds’ high nesting places, employing the regional typology of the “upside down house” to place the main living areas on the second floor for expansive views across the horizon, the bay, and the Long Island Sound.
The structure’s innovative and sustainable design is also inspired by a bird blind. Clad in vertical slats, the exterior disguises the house within nature, allowing occupants to inconspicuously observe the local flora and fauna. The material choice, grayed-out cypress charred using the Japanese shou sugi ban technique, ensures durability, fire resistance, and longevity with minimal maintenance. Desai Chia maximized energy efficiency and light without compromising views. A carefully placed clerestory window runs along the roof, drawing in warmth and highlighting the exposed wood beams with dramatic southern light.
The firm, led by Kathy Chia and Arjun Desai, approaches each project as an individual experience grounded to its context. The Osprey House is a model for modern sustainable coastal living, seamlessly connecting the family’s peaceful nest to the wild Mashomack Preserve.
Read more about America’s Best-in-State Residential Architects on Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/richardolsen/2025/08/27/americas-best-in-state-residential-architects-2025-methodology/
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0:00 Desai Chia’s Philosophy
1:11 Design Clues from the Osprey Nest
1:58 The Bird Blind Concept & Exterior Materials
2:51 Light Footprint & Sustainable Orientation
3:43 Clerestory Windows & Environmental Efficiency
4:26 A House Grounded to its Context
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