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exterior view of the back of a townhouse with wood detailing design by Sarah Jefferys Architecture + Design
Gorgeous slatted wood kitchen in Park Slope passive house design and renovation.

Passive Townhouse Gut Renovation

Park Slope, Brooklyn

Complete gut renovation of an existing 3200SF townhouse in Park Slope, Brooklyn, with a new contemporary real façade addition. The new design was built to transform the existing townhouse into a passive home, while paying homage to the cultures of the homeowners. The energy-efficient home includes white, gray, and blonde modern furnishings, which reflect a minimalist Scandinavian influence, with seamlessly integrated pink, yellow, and orange accents for a vibrant Indian-inspired contemporary allure.

A cedar screen extending over the rear glass façade provides privacy and modulates light and views of the neighborhood, contrasting with the traditional brick front-facing facade. Inside, oiled wide-plank floors, hand-crafted slatted cabinetry, frosted glass walls, playful tile work, bright yellow back-painted glass panels and a custom stone sink complete the unique, contemporary design.

To meet passive home certification, we created an airtight, fully insulated townhouse using high-performance, triple-pane windows. As a result of the insulation provided by neighboring townhouses, we were able to use more glass than is typical of a passive house, assuring an open and airy, energy-efficient home. Additionally, due to the airtight nature of passive homes, working fireplaces are typically excluded from passive house design. We overcame this challenge by installing a glass screen and rooftop shutoff to seal the fireplace when not in use. As a result, the passive design offers all aesthetic and functional amenities that the homeowners sought, in addition to providing energy efficiency, improved indoor air quality and a quiet, healthy home.