Seen through the point of view of an oyster, the prompt for this studio has a latent idea of sustainability embedded in it.  The wonderful thing about  Fisher’s island is that there already exists a community that cares deeply about the environment they live in.  The central communal anchor for the Fisher’s Island is Fishers Island Conservancy. 7 of the 15 entities in the ICB work with FIC with their mission “ Helping to preserve, enrich, and enhance the natural resources of Fishers Island and its surrounding waters”. What is then, Architecture’s role in a community that is already motivated with a unique dedication to protect their environment? I found that the answer probably lies in learning the social, ecological and communal habits that already exist in this community and  amplifying it by giving it visible social space and spatial agency. Kitchen gardens, Osprey nests,  Farm to table dining,  reuse of books, and bike parts are all powerful examples of sustainable habits inherent in the place. The island then does not need another building, but merely a democratic space running through to amplify the small initiatives already taking place.

While visiting Fishers Island it was apparent that not only was the island isolated from the world but itself too. The two sides of the island are divorced from each other in the form of a physical barrier – the gatehouse. The gatehouse is a small shed that stands a third of the way on the island and serves as an entry barrier to the East end where the seasonal population of the island reside. The western third of the remaining island is populated by year round citizens and hosts the ferry dock - the only means of public entry to the island. The program proposed in this project provides space for the two sides of Fishers Island community to come together.