In an urban neighborhood of historic mansions and detached single-family homes, that hadn’t seen new construction in over 50 years, this residence began with a backstory: as an updated carriage house to an adjacent mansion. Except it wasn’t. It was all new construction.

The exterior borrows heavily from the neighborhood context of gables, dormers, and front porches, though the materials and details are decisively present tense. Inside is an explosion of space. Ceilings define rooms more so than walls do. Trim and ornament are also avoided, and in place of that, the structure itself is expressed as detail.

Such moves allowed the project to come in below the typical cost, though immediately after construction, it appraised at double that. This outcome was the result of diligent collaboration among the owner, contractor, and us, focusing on the essential elements of what a house is, but also exploring what it can be.