Modern ‘cocoon house’ makes vibrant use of skylights

Half opaque, half exposed, the Cocoon House is all about finding the right light. Brooklyn-based Nea Studio designed the Long Island, New York, home with an unusual layout.

The 1,730-square-foot house stretches into an L shape, its north and west sides bending into a round cocoon-like curve clad in cedar shingles for privacy and insulation, while its glassy south and east facades open toward the ocean for views and warm rays of sunlight.

According to the firm, the form of the LEED-certified home was determined by constraints rather than pure creative whimsy.

”The footprint is shaped by the legal restriction to build at a 150-foot radius from the wetlands and to keep a 35-foot distance from the adjacent properties,” the studio said in a project statement. Though that didn’t stop the firm from adding playful features like tinted skylights with a rainbow of colors inspired by Gothe’s color theory.

The skylights run above the main hallway and cast a warm rainbow of colors along the way. Near the living room a deep yellow signals activity and energy, while a vermillion red near the bedroom makes the room glow with a sunset-colored hue when the sun hits it just right. With large sliding doors surrounded by terraces and a reflecting pool, the home also comes ready for tranquil indoor-outdoor living.