The
homeowners are enthusiasts of residential modern architecture and wanted
to update their 1960’s split-foyer with the addition of a two-car
garage, a modern façade with handsome finishes, and a pleasing front
entry to give their home presence. Located on a generous two-acre
suburban lot, the site could easily accommodate a more substantial home.
Even a tract house can have architectural merit when remodeled with
thoughtful design by skilled craftsmen. Scale and mass are important to
design. The existing house had two blocks; a two-story bedroom wing on
the right abutting a one story wing with living spaces.
The program required removing a small carport to build a new two-car
garage, which became the third block of the building and created a
stepped roof rhythm. The centerpiece of the new façade is the projecting
front porch with its cub-form. The existing brick house acts as
background for the more aggressive architecture of the porch. Contrast
is as crucial to design as scale and mass, so stone, wood and stucco
were all used to embellish the existing house.
National
Winner
