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September 25, 2019Project Tour: Brownstone Townhouse Renovation
Ada Ko of Ogawa Depardon Architects and Ingrid Sletten of X-Act Contracting hosted a construction tour of a 17-foot-wide UWS townhouse they have been working on for the past year and a half.
The project is the restoration of and addition to a Neo-Greco townhouse located in the Central Park Historic District. Originally designed by prolific rowhouse architect M. Grenell and constructed from 1883 to 1884, the building is being transformed into a six-level home for a family of four. The design intent was to create expansive loft-like spaces in a 17-foot-wide structure where the main entry/living/dining/kitchen spaces flow into each other horizontally and vertically, with transparent and translucent glass defining the public zones. At the back of the house is a new three-story glass and steel addition with a double-height space and a double-height, triple-panel window facing the garden. The garden is entered through a walkable glass skylight that lets in natural light to the new space in the cellar. The house is crowned with a new sky-lit penthouse. The challenge, however, to realize the design scheme called for excavating, using a process called drilling and splitting. Excavation through a rock ledge of granite and quartz achieved a 10-foot clearance in the cellar, which was then extended 27 feet into the backyard.
Women in Architecture
The definitive leadership resource for women in the architecture profession. The Women in Architecture (WIA) Committee develops and promotes women leaders within the architecture profession, with a focus on mentorship, licensure, and networking opportunities in architecture and the allied design and building industries.