Cambridge MA. Project

This house sits on a rear lot uniquely behind other houses on the street. This renovation/addition is a deep energy retrofit to this split level 1960s house in Cambridge MA.

Although the house sits on reasonable size yard, the set back from the main facade is small, but the rooms facing it are the main rooms, living/dining/kitchen. We added triangular additions to add to these spaces but also to emphasize diagonal longer views of the yard and to weave the house into nature, making a strong connection between indoor and outdoor spaces. Despite the small floor area of the triangles, the expanded rooms feel more spacious. and allowed circulation behind the living room area connecting to the new foyer on the east facing towards the street. The living room was previously too narrow for this.

The ground floor became an ADU. The former garage and basement at ground level were transformed into an in-law apartment.

The lost floor area was replaced with an addition on the top floor. Many windows on the top floor take advantage of the surrounding trees, to become a tree house. The diagonal theme was also applied to decks and the top floor addition.

The entire house envelope was heavily insulated and all the systems were optimized for energy efficiency. The house now rates at a HERS 35.

Indoor healthful air quality was achieved with an ERV system and no toxic finishes. The paint palette in the main spaces references one of the owners Indian back ground.

Once solar panels are installed on the roof, the house will be a net zero energy house or better.