Escape to Fire Island Pines

Join the AIANY Committee on Residential Architecture this summer for Escape to Fire Island Pines, a group exploration of the island’s singular physical and cultural landscape. This year’s tour adopts a casual, immersive format where attendees will be divided into three small groups paired with a knowledgeable guide. Each group will explore the Pines by foot to examine the architectural evolution of a community built on both rugged isolation and radical inclusion.

The first stop on the journey will be at the historic Carrington House, a former 19th-century farmhouse nestled within the High Dune that became a mid-century sanctuary for the arts, famously hosting icons like Truman Capote and Gertrude Stein. As the oldest structure in the area, it serves as the foundational text for the Pines’ history and stands as a testament to the enduring allure of this fragile landscape before the first modern boardwalks were ever laid.

From there, the day-long outing will continue through the winding boardwalks to visit three compelling private homes and gardens that illustrate the relationship between seaside regionalism and contemporary island living. Participants will explore the island’s distinctive master plan and the unique construction challenges of building within an endangered coastal ecosystem, balancing an idiosyncratic housing stock with the unrelenting elements of the Atlantic.

The tour concludes with a reception at the island’s most iconic gay guest house, Reflections, offering a firsthand look at the architecture of hospitality and the social "escapism" that defines the Pines. Whether you are drawn to the preservation of the High Dune or the innovation of modern family compounds, this tour offers a rare window into a community committed to both its storied past and its resilient future.

Transportation:
The program will commence from Harbor Walk on the island side of the ferry; attendees must take the ferry from Sayville, New York, to arrive at the starting point. A limited number of ride shares between the Center for Architecture and the Sayville Ferry Terminal can be arranged upon request.

Arrival and Check In:
Staggered start times are scheduled for 11:30am, 11:45am, 12:00pm at the Fire Island Pines Marina. (Please note that these are the check in times. Each group will leave with its guide after check in. The first group will arrive at the Carrington House at 12 pm.)

Refreshments:

• In order to reduce waste registrants are encouraged to bring their own reusable water bottles for the tour.
• Tour groups will not break for lunch. Registrants are encouraged to bring snacks to eat during the tour, have a late breakfast, or eat an early lunch.
• Refreshments will be provided at the reception from 3:30–5:30pm at the conclusion of the tour.

Tour Guides:
John Dempsey, President, Fire Island Pines Historical Society
John Krawchu, President, Friends of Carrington House
Dan Lobitz, Vice President, Friends of Carrington House
Liam O'Malley Davy, Gay Gardens