HWKN completes fire island pines pavilion in new york

new york firm HWKN has given a new vitality to a fire island nightlife mainstay with their newly unveiled design for the iconic fire island pines pavilion. after a 2011 fire ravaged the legendary social hotspot, owners saw fit to revitalize the energetic social hub into a considered extension of the boardwalk and reframed nexus of the gay community. the architecture seeks to balance the equally important aim of preserving the relaxed, yet vibrant, energy of the pavilion with the overarching idea that fire island is an environmentally luscious escape from city life.

the wooden volumes act as material extensions of the boardwalk
image © michael moran/OTTO (also main image)

aside from the totally sensory experience of the wide-grain wooden material palette, the third iteration of the club sports two stories of outdoor terraces to accommodate ‘low tea’ casual afternoon casual drinking and ‘high tea’ late night energy. program volumes are interlocking puzzle pieces that blend the boundary between interior and exterior spaces. benches, wide staircases and storefronts activate the ground level in addition to the sculptural skin of the structure that stretches the public zone of the boardwalk. an internal loop of stairs weaves the volumes together, in particular the grand gesture of the height tea terrace that affords ideal views of the harbor.

outdoor spaces compress and widen to create optimal social pockets
image © michael moran/OTTO

subtly angled spaces reframe interior views and external lines of sight as well as play with levels of intimacy within the space. architectural elements become opportunities for social interaction — even the dance space is elegantly graced with a gradient of 7 foot tall bleachers, optimal for people and landscape watching. planimetrically open to all sides the pavilion is an place intensely optimized for mingling and informal interaction, but moreover a materially honest architecture centered on community and the creation of life-enriching memories.

renderings show a design optimized for casual social interaction that can be readily adapted
image © HWKN

spaces are framed and layered by elegant planes and beams of wood
image © HWKN

the new pavilion’s material palette help the structure become an extension of the boardwalk
image © HWKN

view of one of the ‘tea’ terraces with ideal harbor scenery as a background
image © HWKN

in progress view of the pavilion

floor plan level 0
image © HWKN

floor plan level 1
image © HWKN

long section
image © HWKN

short section
image © HWKN

mass diagram, whole form
image © HWKN

mass diagram, with stepped and setback volumes
image © HWKN

axonometric volume diagram, circulation insertion
image © HWKN

axonometric volume diagram, planar insertion
image © HWKN

axonometric diagram, structure as skin
image © HWKN

project info:

location: fire island pines, fire island, NY
client: blesso properties
size: 8,000 sq ft
status: complete
HWKN principal in charge: matthias hollwich
project architect: egbert miles chu
team: tim aarsen with adam hostetler, jamie abrego, robert may, gregory nakata, mark paz, clare reidy, brett wiemann, nickie huang, agnieszka wojciechowicz