Residential Projects
Renoff Residence - Glen Ridge, NJ
- Residential
- Historic Preservation
The clients had recently moved into their newly purchased Georgian-Revival house and sought to transform the kitchen space into the hearth of the home they remembered from their childhood. Their kitchen had grown too small for their needs and the now mother-of-three dreamed of a large open kitchen where she could watch her children complete their homework while she prepared dinner. Katie would recall stories of her mother’s kitchen being the gathering space during get-togethers.
Furthermore, the clients wanted a closer connection with their backyard and the outdoors. A new breakfast nook became a multipurpose solution. In addition to functioning as an informal dinette, it provided views of the backyard and became a “gemstone of light” providing natural daylighting to illuminate the new kitchen.
The Renoff residence was located in the Glen Ridge Historic District, leading the design of the addition to be historically sensitive to the aesthetics of the original structure and subject to review by the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC).
Removal of load bearing walls and the request for an open kitchen without visible structure required an innovative structural solution. To properly support the second fl oor landing above, a system was devised that hung the landing structure from a newly installed beam above it.
McNamara/Farrell Residence - Queens, NY
- Residential
Apartment renovation in Jackson Heights, Queens, completed as an consultant for CU-A, an architectural practice studio led by Celeste Umpierre - Architect.
Renovation included kitchen, bathroom, study, and living/dining area.
Barn to Carriage House Conversion - Glen Ridge, NJ
- Residential
- Historic Preservation
- Adaptive Re-use
Located in the Glen Ridge Historic District, adaptive reuse was the only solution to repurpose an abandoned barn as a dwelling unit. After nearly 2 years of design iterations and meetings with the Glen Ridge Planning Board and HPC, the client was granted a variance to convert the barn into a ‘carriage house‘, allowing an additional dwelling unit on the lot. Since the exterior of the building was dictated by HPC standards and building code regulations, this project became an interior rehabilitation with a focus of maintaining the original open and bare aesthetic of the barn.
Floor structure was left exposed wherepossible and a new open riser, cablerailing staircase created a visual connection between all the fl oors. Exposed CMU block exterior walls were introduced to the aesthetic to complement the interior setting of the new carriage house. Furthermore, the wood truss formerly carrying the second fl oor was incorporated at the demising wall between the master suite and the staircase, merging the two elements together. This element
allowed for the exchange of interior light and produced a decorative, yet functional component that accompanied the overall
intent of the project.
Harnett Residence - Jersey City, NJ
- Residential
Introducing natural light into interior spaces has been an objective for architect’s throughout history. Not only important for its sustainable intentions of minimizing the use of electricity for artificial lighting, introducing natural light enhances the interior environment for its occupants.
Modernizing the century old house, yet maintaining its historical character was the main objective of this project. The Hartnett’s were planning to return to their childhood house and were looking for a more functional layout that would capitalize on the assets of
the house.
The claustrophobic and dim second floor hallway, juxtaposed by the illuminated third fl oor by means of an existing skylight became the opportunity of design. The design challenge of finding a means to deliver the natural light down to second floor and extending to the first developed into the organizing feature of the residence. The design capitalized on the location of the existing staircase to create an atrium that brought light down to the first floor, while simultaneously, maintaining and reinforcing the character and importance of main stair in the historical home setting.