Multi-Family Townhouse Enlargement

Patio | House
 

A Nordic-Modern home for Entertaining

Designed for a creative professional and his family, the Patio | House includes two rental units and a duplex owner-apartment.  The clients wished to construct a clean, well-lit, Nordic-Modern home set within the shell of a historic Brooklyn Brownstone.  The clients enjoy hosting gatherings with their design-industry colleagues to discuss and share their ideas.  These discussions often took place in a delightful, little, rectangular, brick patio in the rear yard.  Our design intent was to preserve this patio and bring its quality of intimacy and openness into the body of the house.  By creating an open plan with framed views of the rear, we created a series of connections between the interior and exterior.

Patio and Exterior

The building envelope design seeks to respect the rectangular quality of the patio and provide new connections from both levels of the home. By sculpting a narrow extension, we were able to recess an exterior parlor-level stair and maintain the shape of the patio. This gesture provides privacy to the owner while subtly controlling the interior daylight and focusing interior views.

Heart of the House

Above the patio are the parlor level and kitchen. The kitchen is the hub of the house and the focal point of gatherings. The kitchen and the accompanying terrace are the perfect places to host conversations amidst the act of cooking and eating. Each surface on the parlor-level is carefully crafted with different spatial, material, and lighting accents to maximize the variety of experiences.

A Collaboration between Architect and Owner

The execution of The President Street Townhouse was the ultimate collaboration of the owner and architect. The owner is an accomplished amateur woodworker and wished to fabricate most of the millwork pieces himself. Similarly, Palette Architecture took on a construction management role to provide oversight on the other trades. The result is a uniquely crafted home tailored to the homeowner’s highest aspirations.

Drawings
  • Location Park Slope | Brooklyn, New York
  • Collaborators Structural Engineer | IDEA
    MEP Engineer | Ramirez and Azadian Analysis and Design
    Builder | Ilir Shalsi
  • Size 2,600sf
  • Status Completed | 2018
  • Photographer Jody Kivort

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