BROOKLYN MASS
TIMBER

OLD BECOMES NEW

A family home in the Brooklyn neighbourhood of Clinton Hill tests the scope of adaptive re-use by utilising mass-timber construction in the renovation of a 19th-century carriage house. In creating the first single-family residence in New York to fully explore the potential of this sustainable, low impact method, Schiller Projects has set an important precedent for housing in urban environments.

Project Type: Urban Renovation

Location: Brooklyn, New York, United States

Architect: Schiller Projects

Photographer: Pablo Veiga

BIOPHILIC BEAUTY

The sculptural staircase corkscrews through the centre of the home, and a Japanese maple is planted at its base. Bathed in rays from the skylight above, it reflects studio's affinity for biophilic design, and offsets the challenges typically associated with carriage houses by bringing natural light and greenery deep into the plan. The kitchen and dining table open onto a courtyard at the rear, and the negative space around these elements gives the staircase and maple room to exist.

FAMILY-FRIENDLY REFRIGERATION

The needs of Aaron's young family informed the layout of the kitchen — and, he says, Fisher & Paykel's ability to support a nuanced design solution proved invaluable to its final shape. Located on the “family side” of the island bench, as opposed to the “chef side” adjacent to the back bench, the CoolDrawer™ has emerged as one of the family's most-loved appliances, proving particularly useful for their two small children.