P R O F I L E | YA B U P U S H E L B E R G
hen given the opportunity, what do
world-class designers create for them-
selves? The answer for the founders
of international design studio Yabu
Pushelberg—George Yabu and Glenn Pushel-
berg—is their East Hamptons home. Located in
the fashionable hamlet of Amagansett, on Long
Island, New York, the house sits poetically, if not in
complete repose, on sand dunes and is of flawless
good form: sinewy and sculptural, with clean lines,
sharp corners and wood-slat glass walls that open
the beach retreat to a watery, windswept panorama
beyond.
Holistically considered, the house is an unam-
biguous reflection of contemporary design and,
in personal terms, of the design duo responsible.
"Our Amagansett home was designed to be our own
version of an adult summer camp," Glenn Pushel-
berg says of the project. "It is a place to play, reset
and recharge. It sparks a lot of joy for us, to have a
place where we can welcome people, new and old,
into a slice of our life."
Some of those people include the 120 employ-
ees from the studio's New York City and Toronto,
Canada offices who George and Glenn hosted
over the course of nine weeks last summer. "We
cooked," Glenn recalls. "Laughter and karaoke were
constants. It was a time to let loose and remem-
ber what life is about." George agrees: "Especially
after the pandemic, we wanted to bring people back
into our orbit and share experiences together. This
also translated to Glenn whipping up his infamous
breakfast recipes and pouring bottomless Monte-
negro's." Which says everything about the driving
creative force behind Yabu Pushelberg: They don't
just design beautiful spaces, they craft immersive
environments to inhabit, filling their own home with
a sense of life and a great deal of love.
A hallmark of a Yabu Pushelberg design, whether it
is a residence, hotel, retail space or product is how
chic and effortless that design presents. Amagan-
sett house is no exception. But, though chic, it was
far from easy. "We built the house from the ground
up, which came with a tornado of constraints," says
George, pointing to the sand dunes that act as a
barrier between the house and the ocean and ulti-
mately became "a blessing in disguise," helping
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28 DIGS.NET | 4.21.23
