Materiality and Flow: Unlocking light and volume within a Ridgewood townhouse.

This renovation reimagines the second floor of a Ridgewood townhouse, transforming a compartmentalized layout into a fluid, light-filled residence defined by a warm, natural palette. The primary architectural move was structural: removing a central load-bearing wall to dissolve the rigid boundaries between the kitchen, dining, and living areas.

We completely reworked the entry sequence, eliminating a maze of dark corridors to guide one directly into the expanded living space, establishing an immediate sense of openness. A key challenge became the project's defining feature: an existing, obsolete ventilation shaft. Instead of working around it, we reconfigured the building services to switch from passive to active mechanical ventilation. This technical upgrade allowed us to air-seal the envelope for thermal comfort, reclaim valuable floor area, and—crucially—repurpose the shaft's aperture to introduce a new skylight, flooding the previously windowless bathroom with daylight.

Further enhancing the light quality, a second skylight was introduced to carve out a dedicated creative zone for art and music. The interiors are grounded by site-stained custom oak flooring, which provides a cohesive, warm foundation for the materials and textures that define the home's unique character.