When you drive onto the Shinnecock Reservation in Southampton, New York, you’ll come across a small red house at 159 Old Point Road — modest in size, but monumental in purpose. 

Welcome to Ma’s House (https://www.mashouse.studio/), a community-led art space founded by Shinnecock artist Jeremy Dennis. What began as a personal project during the early pandemic has become one of two BIPOC artist residencies on Indigenous reservation land in the United States.

Now, Ma’s House is entering a new chapter — and BuildLabs is honored to help build it with architect Pete DePasquale (www.gdp.work).

A Vision Rooted in Family and Heritage

Jeremy began the Ma’s House project in 2020 after returning home during the pandemic. “The Ma’s House project started came out of my own need and process of going through residencies,” he says. What he built soon expanded into a nonprofit arts organization: “We have a residency program and have hosted more than 70 artists of color across the country.”

The existing structure, inherited from his grandparents (Ma's House is named in honor of his grandmother), was beloved, but fragile. Jeremy explains:

“The structure was built out of recycled materials and had a lot of weather damage, and even animals found their way in. The new structure will give us stress relief… we’ll be able to invite dancers and artists who need to bring their partners or support animals; space the current studio doesn’t have.”

How the BuildLabs Partnership Came to Life

Earlier this year, Jeremy and Dennis connected with Punit Chugh, cofounder of BuildLabs, about building a new studio structure on the property.

Punit recalls. “Jeremy and Peter liked our full offering — the pre-built model, our cost structure, and our ability to deliver a complete solution. The partnership just clicked.”

Architect Peter DePasquale (of Garnett.DePasquale www.gdp.work) had already generously donated multiple rounds of designs — renderings that merged contemporary architecture with Indigenous motifs. 

Jeremy says: “We created different renderings and came to one design that came to contemporary but also [a] traditional wigwam interpretation — that was a really wonderful conclusion.”

Continue Reading: Ma’s House + BuildLabs: Building a Legacy of Art, Culture & Resilience on Shinnecock Land