2 Family Townhouse
New Construction 5,145 SF

Set on a narrow 17’-6” wide lot in Brooklyn, this new four story two family townhouse residence is an infill development built within a low rise townhouse block. The building program includes a ground floor and basement in law suite, while the upper three floors comprise the primary residence with a walk up entry.

Within the strict limits of the zoning envelope, the project seeks to make the spaces feel larger, lighter, and open to their environment. At the street, the traditional flat façade is gently broken by a projecting bay window which opens oblique views, extending the perceptual depth of the living spaces and becomes a device for widening the townhouse’s typically narrow visual field.

At the rear facade, large glass openings and a rear deck dissolve the boundary between interior and garden, drawing daylight deep into the plan and reinforcing a continuous relationship between inside and outside. At the center of the home, an interior light well introduces daylight into the central circulation stair, transforming what is often a dark, compressed zone into an active vertical space. A skylight above, paired with clerestory windows at the setback, allows light to cascade downward and shift throughout the day, registering time and movement within the home.

Together, these strategies create a more three dimensional interior, one that expands vertically and diagonally rather than relying solely on the frontal organization typical of the townhouse.

The project incorporates Passive House principles to ensure long term energy performance and comfort. A fiber cement rainscreen system with mineral wool insulation forms a high-performance envelope that exceeds energy code requirements.