A House Grows in Brooklyn

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January 18, 2009

Originally published in Radical Ideas in Architecture

While most people living in the Fort Greene neighborhood of Brooklyn didn’t see much to love about an abandoned, weedy lot squeezed between two old town houses, one couple couldn’t help but see it as an opportunity to finally build their own home

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Darcy Miro and her son, Lucien, enjoy a moment in their new double-height living room. The Charlotte Perriand wall sconces are vintage finds.
Even the family dogs have a comfortable resting spot just off the kitchen and dining room on the second floor of the house.
Though the couple’s house is much younger than its immediate neighbors, it manages to fit right in—adding to, rather than detracting from, the neighborhood’s historic character.
By leaving the exterior walls of the neighboring structures exposed on their interior, Miro and Weiss guaranteed that the neighborhood’s history would be a part of their new home. Raw plywood and industrial-strength steel railings are balanced with custom finishes and signs of domesticity.
In the family room, Lucien gets an early start on his music career with his father’s help. The space, technically the third floor of the structure, overlooks the central living area below.