This house sits high on a rock ledge, with a glass bridge connecting a studio apartment and garage to the main house. With light and airy interiors, the rooms in this house are modern and open, providing a calming backdrop for an extensive art collection. Exterior detailing is minimal and precise, with weathered mahogany windows, lead coated copper and alaskan yellow cedar siding.
With: Stern McCafferty Architecture + Interiors; Michael Boucher Landscape Architecture
Photo Credit: Chuck Choi
Photo Credit: Samara Vise
With: Stern McCafferty Architecture + Interiors
Photo Credit: Samara Vise + Eric Roth
Located on a quiet residential street in the Prospect Hill neighborhood of Somerville, this stately two family Victorian had interesting architectural details and wonderful proportions. However, the interior space had been subdivided into a maze of small, cramped rooms and long, dark hallways. We were challenged to renovate the house on a limited budget, using sustainable building materials, methods and systems.
Two expanded open floor plan apartments were created by accessing both the attic and basement areas for additional living space and opening up the apartments to create spacious living areas that took advantage of the Boston skyline views. By mixing various high end finishes with extremely prudent design solutions, we were able to deliver two substantially sized, sustainable, contemporary apartments that defied the actual budget.
Designed and built as part of a design build studio with MIT professor Meejin Yoon, this set of three floating pods was developed for the city of New Bedford, MA. The pods reconfigure to create two unique floating landscapes: one linear, and one a floating island.
Materials included a laser cut aluminum structural framework and mahogany.
A grand Cambridgeport late 19th century Mansard Victorian had been wrapped in aluminum siding and divided into six apartments with small rooms and dropped ceilings. We recreated the historic exterior, and redesigned the interior common areas, saving and restoring original woodwork wherever possible. On the top floor, we created a penthouse unit with cathedral ceilings, skylights, and access to the roof with Boston skyline views. The remaining five units were reconfigured as pied-a-terre’s with open floor plans. The 650 sq ft units feel expansive due to the use of oversized windows, low built-in bookcases, streamlined kitchen layouts, and scaled down furnishings.
Built on pilings in the harbor of an authentic Maine fishing village, the “Bridge House” served as the village dance hall and social center for town residents in the late 1800’s. It had been abandoned for years, had no plumbing or electricity, and was in a serious state of disrepair.
The character and integrity of the original design and craftsmanship were retained by restoring or replicating the original architectural details, and by recycling, for other uses, what had to be removed. Having no access to running water or a septic system, an elaborate cistern and filtration system was engineered to collect and purify rain water.
The floor plan was designed to take advantage of the building’s unique site, allowing breathtaking views from multiple directions. Outdoor living/dining and access to the harbor were facilitated by connecting the primary living areas to a multi-level deck and deep water dock.
The kitchen cabinets and the majority of the furniture were constructed from recycled building materials found either onsite or locally. Both the furnishings and art were chosen to complement the views, the marine setting and the historical significance of the building.
With Stern McCafferty Architecture + Interiors
Built by Structure Design Build
Photo Credit: Structure Design Build
Built in 1884, this residence in the Brattle Street area historical district in Cambridge had undergone a 1950’s renovation, resulting in a warren of dark rooms, the loss of the original architectural details and moldings, and a floor plan that needed updating for a more modern lifestyle.
The living/dining and kitchen areas were expanded by adding an additional seven feet of living space and wall of glass spanning the entire length of the first floor. This solution created a more informal and spacious living area, as well as a visual connection to the large rear yard and gardens.
The contemporary walk through kitchen was designed to keep an original wood cook stove intact, as well as allowing an open flow to facilitate entertaining. A separate library with walls of custom bookshelves was created for the client’s extensive collection of books, and bedrooms were reconfigured to allow for adjacent studies and walk-in closets. Wall colors and lighting were chosen to complement the clients collection of antiques, art and heirloom furnishings.
The exterior facade was restored to the original 19th century design, and then painted with a linseed oil paint. The informal landscape design includes several raised beds of organic vegetable gardens, stone pathways and patio areas shaded by fruit trees.
