From the Aalto pendants to the birch-leaf motif of the plaster crown molding, there's no doubting the heritage of the client behind this exceptionally detailed Passive House renovation.
In its latest incarnation, a modest 1930s structure in Sunset Park serves as the firm's studio and as headquarters for Design Studies Collaborative, a nonprofit planning consultancy.
The nearly two-century old building in the rapidly changing Gowanus neighborhood required myriad structural interventions and features a design that maximizes space.
Seeking to avoid a gut renovation, the 2009 Design Vanguard preserves period touches while updating a stately 1892 structure under a breakneck timeframe.
Updating the limestone-clad 1905 structure required serious interventions, including inserting a sky-lit central staircase to directly connect the garden level with the rest of the house.