LOOK: Rebuilt Pavilion Rises on Fire Island

Decades of memories went up in smoke when a fire ravaged Fire Island's commercial center, known at the Pavilion, in November 2011. The Pavilion was the epicenter of life on Fire Island, a haven for not only gay New Yorkers, but vacationers from around the world. In time for summer shares, the Pavilion is slowly coming back to life, complete with a new design from New York-based architecture firm HWKN.

"We designed the Pavilion to be in context with other Pines architecture," lead architect Matthias Hollwich tells us. "It is made of wood, yet the form is bold and iconic. The Pavilion is the first thing that visitors see when they arrive on Fire Island, and we've envisioned it to be the heart of the Pines community."

"The design creates an immersive experience that virtually stretches the public zone of the boardwalk up into the building's terraces," Hollwich says. "Beaches, wide staircases, and storefronts activate the base of the Pavilion, and the entrance forms a set of bleachers that act as a viewing platform, stage, wedding chapel, and extended dance floor. A new welcome bar on the first floor, the high-tea terrace and the Pavilion Club are all connected by an internal loop of stairs."

Read more about the project at the website of HWKN, which is also working on numerous projects in the greater New York area.