Design Concept and Organization

Rising residential real estate prices makes it impossible for most families to buy homes in expensive cities like New York. Small residential buildings become financially inaccessible, as well as condominium units, designed more and more as financial products with standard layouts driven by market studies to attract the broadest numbers at the cost of individual customization.

The solution for two middle class families with young children was to join forces and together buy a small three-story residential building, and remodel it to fulfill the specific needs of each family.

The 18’x50’ building is divided into two interlocking duplexes, providing an equal amount of space to each family, and eliminating all interior common circulation spaces by giving direct access to each unit form the street. An outdoor space is attributed to each unit.

The limited area for each apartment obliges the organization of space to be as efficient as possible, minimizing corridors, taking advantage of every square foot available and  dedicating them to function and practicality. The use of mezzanines adds additional usable area, and also provides visual reference to increase the perception of height of adjacent spaces.

The design paradigm is “less but better”:
Design with less space, less things, but have each space or each thing be of better quality, better efficiency, better use.

Natural light and interior space perception

Natural light is one the most important and precious elements for the quality of spaces, and the design focuses on ensuring the two duplexes are filled with a rich, yet controlled daylight.

The roof bulkhead is used as a light well, a periscope catching the natural light throughout the day and bringing it into the house through the open-riser metal stair.

Interior glass walls allow the natural light to penetrate deeper into the building, and provide transparency between certain spaces, connecting them visually. Combined with interior reflections on the glass, the transparency makes the spaces seem larger and feel more interconnected.

Bright colors are used to bring energy and liveliness to the interior spaces as well as giving a tint to natural light when reflecting or filtering the sunlight.

Exterior Enclosure and Energy Efficiency

The rain screen façade, composed of anodized aluminum extruded panels, reflects the heat in summer months, and plays with the shadows of adjacent trees.
The layout of the windows blends with surrounding buildings, but the strict modular geometrical pattern of the cladding and the satin metallic finish of the anodized aluminum provides a distinct presence on the street.

Vertical houses are sometimes compromised by stack effect and difficulties efficiently controlling temperatures in different areas. Recirculating and exhaust fans at the bulkhead actually exploit and amplify the stack effect to the occupants’ benefit, in winter pushing back to the living room two floors below the warm air heated by the greenhouse effect of the bulkhead south window, while in the summer drawing up and exhausting the hot air to the exterior.
In combination with high efficiency condensing gas boiler, radiant floor heating, LED light fixtures, spray foam insulation, shades and awning, the building is very energy efficient.

Roof Garden

Each apartment has access to an outdoor garden: the backyard for the lower unit, and the rooftop for the upper unit.

The roof garden uses a mix of containers including recycled milk crates for growing vegetables and flowers, and attracting insects, butterflies and birds.

The soil is enriched by composting onsite, and partially irrigated by rain water collected from the roof.

The awning provides shade in summer, to make the roof a comfortable place to enjoy the outdoors and the city skyline views.

Press

An Architect’s colorful family home stands out in Brooklyn. 
By Patrick Sisson 
Curbed NY , May 24th 2016