Like many north Philadelphia neighborhoods that still host vacant lots, this site is one where new, residential development is beginning to boom. To begin the process of designing a 2,500 sf speculative rowhome, a simple question was asked; how can this home not conform to the swath of characterless, new homes breaking ground close by? The ‘how to’ list began; use one material well, push the limits of the Philadelphia zoning code that belabors innovative design approaches, create exterior spaces that can be used with a degree of privacy, and lastly keep the pushing and pulling simple. Sheathed in Cor-Ten steel, this rowhome takes its cue from a more rustic, romantic modernism as its rusty patina glows in a neighborhood of ever-changing new and old. An exercise in interior and exterior relationships created an exterior massing that represents an extrusion of what’s within. Great collaboration with Toner Architects.