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project overview
This renovation values the remaining character of the original structure and enhances its inherent traits – 20' width, front porch, high ceilings and a south‑facing garden. The 1879 Italianate wood‑frame façade retains its cornice and trim. Inside, the first floor is opened up to take advantage of the house's generous width.
Although legally a one‑family house, the structure had been used as a two‑family dwelling. Master‑planning studies showed that creating a legal two‑family residence would sacrifice historic character, so the design shifted toward addressing modern ways of living and accommodating different household types.
'Flex Space' By centrally locating a full bath and half‑kitchen on the first floor, the front living room can become a home office or caregiver suite. The cellar was excavated and finished for additional living space, and the un‑programmed interior porch provides daylight and views to the backyard.
Livability A third bedroom was added upstairs to accommodate various household configurations—from a young family to millennial roommates.
The character of the original house was animated through two moves: (1) restating the existing top‑of‑the‑stair curved winder as an oculus and (2) inventing a double‑height modern interior porch to complement the ornamental front porch.
The original 1879 back extension is wrapped in mitered lap siding, creating a house‑within‑a‑house. It frames a double‑height space for living and dining that is overlooked by a study above, and a contemporary efficient wood‑burning stove nestles below.
Building Brooklyn Award 2018.
— Rochlin, The Front Porch in Home, Sweet Home.