West Village Townhouse 2

NYC, New York
2012

Drawing from its historic Greenwich Village context, this extensive reconstruction of a 1840s townhouse fuses past and present into a new, sophisticated 4,000 square foot home. The project is also the first townhouse in Greenwich Village to earn a LEED for Homes Gold rating.

Striking a balance between historic and modern guides all aspects of design in this reinvigorated Greek Revival townhouse. Steel and glass windows line the basement and parlor floors’ South facades, drawing in natural light and air from the garden. Daylight is also funneled through the home via a skylight-topped 4-story open staircase. Industrial details of structural steel and and an exposed manually-geared hardware operate a pivoting glass and steel Penthouse wall.

Traditional details are found throughout the interiors with baseboards, moldings, and casing around the doors—familiar prewar details—all slightly streamlined. Even the fireplace that fits in seamlessly is actually based on an English original amped up in drawings and digitally carved from limestone.

To reduce the project’s carbon footprint, wood flooring was reclaimed from a barn in Tennessee, and Soapstone countertops were harvested from a Vermont quarry. With an array of other energy-and waste-saving strategies, including Low-VOC paints and finishes and highly efficient heating and cooling systems, the townhouse is one of just 6 single family homes to become certified by the US Green Building Council in New York City.