Albee Foundation — Renewing "The Barn," its Essence Intact

Montauk, NY
3,300 square feet, Main Building
1,400 square feet, Cottage
2025
Type: Civic / Arts / Reuse
Theme: Making & Learning / Transforming Old Buildings

Playwright Edward Albee established his eponymous foundation in 1967 to serve writers and artists by providing them space and time to work without disturbance. For the over fifty years since, the Albee Foundation has hosted artists from all walks of life and artistic disciplines in a secluded retreat in Montauk, New York, housed in a beloved former horse stable that dates to the 1920s. TenBerke was charged with rehabilitating the structure—affectionately termed “the Barn”—thus allowing the Foundation to expand its offerings from seasonal to year-round operations.

The renewal updates the 3,300-square-foot barn to fully serve the Foundation’s mission while retaining the creative spirit of its place. The attic space is fully habitable with a shared library space that houses many of Albee’s own books and records, and renovated sleeping quarters that offer each artist in residence a bedroom and private bathroom. Downstairs, an expanded communal kitchen faces out onto the wetlands, and a new elevator makes both levels accessible for all. A 1,400-square-foot cottage has also been rebuilt as a residence for the property’s caretaker.

The residencies are set in a place affectionately referred to as “the Barn,” on the eastern end of Long Island. The structure had once been horse stables for The Montauk Manor, which opened in 1927. Still in operation today, The Montauk Manor is a fully restored national landmarked hotel.

The old stables became home to the residency program, or “the colony” as Albee would often call it, in the summer of 1966. The Barn was rustic and intentionally bare-boned. It would house four to five fellows at a time, a mix of writers and visual artists, for one-month residencies where their core focus would be their work.

The Barn’s straightforward nature gave the artists-in-residence a perfect backdrop to create. Imperfect walls beckoned to be filled with inspiration, samples, and experiments. In our renewal of The Barn, we strove to uphold this invitation to take risks and make messes.

The architectural process itself began with subtraction. We peeled back the layers of the Barn, stripping it down to its wooden frame, exposing its skeletal structure and raw proportions. We carefully kept what we could, reinforcing where needed, and only replacing when required.