Through a gut renovation, MSA converted a nine single-room occupancy apartment building into a two-family residence. The top three floors are occupied by the clients with a separate two-bedroom basement-level apartment.

The primary feature is the new rear extension, which blurs the boundary between interior and exterior spaces. On the parlor floor, the extension contains the kitchen and feeds directly to the interior dining and exterior patio. At the master suite level, the extension houses the master bathroom, which enables a large influx of natural lighting to resemble the notion of bathing outdoors. A cedar louver system has been fixed to the rear façade to ensure privacy and solar control whilst taking advantage of natural light. Photo voltaic panels have been applied to the roof to draw the solar energies and convert them into usable electricity within the home. Hydronic radiant heating permeates all floors to create a comfortable temperature and silent operation.

The clean, crisp interior is achieved through white walls and stained white oak floors with the concrete slab of the fireplace serving as a subtle contrast. The rear extension adopts a more industrial material palette with stained black metal windows and doors, dark wood decking and a wooden louver system that is under laid by a series of aluminum panels.