South Slope Townhouse
When a 140-year-old Park Slope brick townhouse needed a complete structural overhaul, the team at reBuild Workshop rolled up their sleeves and got to work.
Photography by Pepe Molina & Themis Haralabides
The Plan
To bring more daylight into the garden level, reBuild removed the first floor's non-historic brick façade and rebuilt the storefront as it appeared in historic photos from the 1940s. Architecturally, this allowed us to visually differentiate the volume of the first-floor addition from the original masonry structure of the 1880s.
For the parlor level, the goal was to have an uninterrupted, open space that maximizes flexibility and daylight. With the house located on a relatively busy street, it was decided early on to have the open, centered kitchen and the living room in the quieter back-of-house, taking advantage of the floor’s full width.
To maximize the daylight and connect visually and physically to the outdoors, reBuild introduced a 10-foot-wide opening at the back. Custom steel doors open up to a steel and cedar deck, which provides access to the rear yard.
Sustainability
Both units have a high-efficiency, concealed heat-pump HVAC system for heating and cooling, with the outdoor units located on the roof. The indoor mechanical equipment and ductwork have been discreetly integrated into the interior of the space, keeping the ceiling height maximized while allowing a good flow of air throughout the house. The exterior building envelope has been air-sealed and insulated well above the code-required. New high-performance windows have been installed throughout.
Living room facing the backyard, with the kitchen at the front.
Rear facade transformation
A custom wood lattice screens the stairs and hides the powder room at the parlor level
custom bookcase in the living room
custom kitchen millwork with hidden storage
Master bedroom Walk-in Closet
Rental unit kitchen at garden level
Completed front facade