A HOUSE REIMAGINED
Lead Designer & Project Manager
NJ, USA 2021
This historic home is located in a National Historic Landmark community designed in 1929 by architects Clarence Stein and Henry Wright—a pioneering urban planning model that separates pedestrian circulation from automobile traffic and integrates homes within an interconnected system of shared parks.
"The Town for the Motor Age"
Each home was designed with two distinct entrances, reflecting the modern living standards of the time.
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Pedestrian Front: The front door and primary living spaces, including living rooms and bedrooms, face the quiet, shared park and pedestrian path system.
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Service Rear: The back door, kitchen, and garage face a rear service cul-de-sac, providing direct automobile access.
Reframing the Garden House:
a historic character with a
modern purpose
Nearly a century later, the home’s spatial logic and infrastructure no longer met the needs of contemporary life. The house’s interior layout was comprehensively rethought, optimizing light access and energy efficiency, while preserving the historical character of its iconic facade.
The Why?
Originally, the home’s internal circulation was centered on pedestrian access entry. As the car became the norm, the former service door by the kitchen became the main entrance, disrupting the spatial hierarchy of the home.
To reimagine the home for another century, a new foyer organizes two circulation axes: one leads up via a reoriented staircase, improving vertical flow; the other continues toward the social areas on the ground floor. The result is a layout that supports intuitive movement, functional zoning, and visual continuity.
First Floor
Second Floor
Key Interventions:
A complete reconfiguration of the home's layout redefined its functional and spatial logic, supporting sustainability and respecting its historic character.
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1. Spatial Transformation
− Redesigned the central staircase
− Relocated kitchen and opened floor plan
− Integrated basement with added window
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2. Adaptive Reuse & Functionality
− Converted garage into a studio
− Added bathrooms and laundry
− Installed custom walk-in closets
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3. Sustainability & Preservation
− Upgraded plumbing, electrical, and mechanical systems
− Installed new windows, insulation, and LED lighting
− Preserved original facade
− Redesigned the garden and added parking
Staircase Redesign
A sculptural vertical axis, now aligned with the new main entry, creates spatial hierarchy by eliminating the home's fragmented circulation.
Kitchen Upgrade
An open, light-filled, expanded kitchen with 60% more space, large counters, full-height storage, and low-energy appliances.
Basement Integration
Converted to livable space: with a wider stair opening, a laundry corner turned wet bar, and a new egress window that adds daylight.
Function
Installed new wall & floor insulation, added AC and heating and replaced the garage‑door with Low-E half-lite triple door to maximize natural light.​
Sustainability
Legacy
Reduced energy consumption by 50 % and improved indoor air quality with high-performance systems, including new insulation, energy-efficient windows and appliances, LED lighting, and all new plumbing, electrical, and HVAC equipment.
Preserved the original façade, with a redesigned garden, a new main entrance, and extra parking.
From Garage to Sun-Lit Studio Space
A Holistic Approach to Energy Retrofit
Celebrating a Cultural Landscape
Among the most energy-efficient in the area.
All upgrades were thoughtfully aligned with the architectural language of the historic community, resulting in a high-performance home that preserves and celebrates its original charm.
Impact at a Glance
+200 % increase in property value
50 % reduction in energy consumption
~3× daylight gain in key living areas
Fully modernized with energy-efficiency systems
 Upgraded for multi‑generational living
Project delivered on time and under budget