Back Bay Residence

This townhouse unit renovation is located in Boston's Back Bay neighborhood, on the top two floors of a typical five-story, nineteenth-century brick townhouse. Given the restrictions imposed by the existing conditions, the overall architectural order depends upon making a distinction between what existed (and could not be changed) and what was new (or introduced). Therefore, all the new work is treated distinctively in terms of materials, finishes, and details - like individual pieces of furniture-to emphasize the extent of the renovation work and to provide architectural coherence.

As such, fireplaces, a staircase, and cabinetry develop a narrative of materials: satinwood, pomel mahogany, bird's-eye maple, and oak (all sustainable species) combined with stainless steel, travertine, granite, and glass. In the living-dining room on the upper level, the visual play of materials centers on the fireplace - with the remainder of the room treated more neutrally ­ to establish an important focal point for the space. Symmetrical and object-like, the fireplace is formed of satinwood, steel, granite, and sandblasted glass. Two satinwood panels (detailed to display that they are veneers) open to show a slot of stainless steel that reveals the viewer's distorted image - a reinterpretation of the mirror over the mantel.