The Northern Liberties neighborhood, just north of Center City in Philadelphia, used to be a decrepit Rust Belt remnant, but it now attracts the artist crowd. Over the past decade that crowd has come, stayed, become organized, and turned the neighborhood into a vibrant community that honors its local history while allowing a modern sensibility to permeate new design. Architect Kevin Angstadt, principal of Qb3, has completed three projects in the neighborhood, and he says his latest, Split-Level House, could not have been accomplished without the forward-thinking neighborhood association of Northern Liberties.

For Split-Level House, built on a small corner lot where a hotel was located some 30 years ago but which has been vacant since, Angstadt, his client, and the board wanted a design that would give a respectful nod to that long-gone building and its curved facade, and would reaffirm a relationship to the two streets meeting at the corner. Angstadt’s client had minimal demands — a three-bedroom house that could accommodate a future family while also providing a garage.