Townhouse Gut Renovation
5,200 SF

Located in Brooklyn’s Park Slope historic district, this project transforms a late 19th century brownstone from a subdivided three family apartment building into a cohesive single family residence. The gut renovation required landmarks approval and was guided by a careful balance between facade preservation and interior reinvention, retaining the architectural character of the original townhouse while adapting it to contemporary patterns of living.

A central challenge of the house was its unusually deep 60-foot floor plate, which limited access to daylight at the core of the plan. In response, the design introduces a vertical lightwell at the center of the home, bringing natural light deep into the interior and visually and spatially linking all levels. This new void establishes a sense of openness and continuity rarely found in traditional brownstones, allowing light to shape daily movement through the house.

Throughout the renovation, new interventions are paired with selective restoration. Original elements such as the main stair and front moldings and fireplaces were preserved and repaired, while the interiors were fully reimagined to include a contemporary kitchen, 3.5 new bathrooms, and a dedicated home study. At the rear, a full height steel and glass wall opens the main living spaces directly to the garden, extending the interior outward and reinforcing the connection between house and garden.

The result is a townhouse that feels both grounded in its 1890s origins and distinctly current. The new residence is defined by clarity of space, an abundance of daylight, and a thoughtful dialogue between historic fabric and modern life.