Slot House

This modest 1,000 square foot home that dates to the 1700s, is located in the historic Fort Greene neighborhood of Brooklyn and designed and inhabited by Margarita McGrath and Scott Oliver of noRoof Architects.

Tickets: Purchase Now
Date: Saturday, May 9, 2009
Partner: BKLYN DESIGNS

Upon acquiring the home, the couple decided that their plan for a redesign would uphold the integrity of the original structure and pay homage to the towering maple tree that anchors the property. This decision guided their first move to cut a slot in the façade, allowing the tree to be seen from inside, and also giving the home it’s nickname, “Slot House”.

Another significant alteration was the replacement of sections of the wood flooring with slotted metal grills. This change allows light to filter down to the floors below and provides an openness that was missing from the Revolutionary era construction.

Much like a boat, the architects have edited the space to capitalize on the limited square footage. A sleeping space is stowed in the kitchen, accessible by a sliding grill that acts as both a ladder and a window grate. The dining table, made of hollow core doors, has been vertically mounted along a wall and folds out to a table as needed.

For the couple, who favors sunlight in lieu of other luxuries such as walk-in closets or oversized bedrooms, their 200 square foot roof deck is a quick escape if things ever start to feel cramped in the hull.