a townhome on Devoe street
Completed 2019
This residence was designed and built for a family in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. The general schematic consists of a single building containing single story 2 bedroom apartment at the lower level and a large 4 bedroom, two and a half story main townhome above. Both units share a split level rear yard. An auxiliary structure to the main townhome structure known as the carriage house sits at the back of the site, accessible through the yard.
The lower unit, which is flexible to act either as an income generating rental unit or accommodation for extended family, was formally conceived as a rectangle with quadrant subdivisions delineated by a main cross shaped millwork element spanning the entire width and length of the plan. This continuous element spans the full length and width of the house and conceals within itself an entry closet, a kitchen pullout pantry, AC ducts, ample storage, mechanical equipment, and even a ‘James Bond’ style secret laundry and hamper cabinet This shelf wall separates the living room from the master bedroom with a concealed door, all contributing to the sense of mystery and surprise when spaces and functions are revealed. The master bedroom and living room both access an intimate sunken outdoor patio.
The top unit is what could be considered the main or actual townhome
An open stair goes through the home’s second floor and up to the open roof and greenhouse bulkhead. The stair is a continuous laser cut plate steel structure with fluted glass guards with a specially designed attachment method that eliminated the need for holes or point fixings on the glass. Lighting is provided by day from a skylight above the stair and by night from a multi point fixture hanging from the skylight. The second floor houses the two kids’ bedrooms and bathroom in the front, separated from the rear master suite via a semi public family room, circulation and laundry. The family room receives light and air via a full width operable skylight, and so can be used as an additional guest bedroom. The stair continues up to a greenhouse bulkhead with a drained floor planter and an attached bulkhead room with large windows for quiet meditation or a workspace. The stair bulkhead opens to a large decked roof with planters and views of Brooklyn and Manhattan.
the parlor rethought
This public open plan floor parlor floor with a fully open plan for living, cooking, dining, reading by the fireplace and large scale entertaining and with access to the rear yard and carriage house through a laser cut steel, glass and wood back facade that acts as a large planter filtering the abundant sunlight reaching from back to front. This structure includes two 25 foot wide fluted glass light boxes above and below, providing both lighting for the exterior and indirect lighting for the interior. The carriage house, while fully functional as a stand-alone unit with a bathroom and kitchenette, was built with a raw interior as an art studio for an established artist - the family’s mother.
