Do you love the historic character of a 1920’s craftsman home? Do you crave the unique materials and cutting-edge style of a modern home? How can you have both? Madison Avenue is the fusion of bold and modern, with historic and traditional. The design pushes the boundaries of modern architectural elements, while also retaining the character and soul of a century old, craftsman home. This contemporary modern design is a fusion of styles.
The design approach bucks the standard “pop the top” renovation and addition, where a second floor is added to an existing one-story house and most of the original character is lost. Instead, the entire existing craftsman home is left intact, and a new modern structure is built behind the existing home. The existing and new parts of the home are designed to be functionally and architecturally independent of each other, each having their own living and kitchen spaces. While the exterior material and design of the existing craftsman home remains painted wood siding, the new part of the home utilizes the more contemporary materials of corrugated metal and cor-ten steel. The new main living spaces are clad in corrugated metal. The bridge spaces, the circulation areas connecting old and new, are clad in cor-ten steel.
When designing an addition, there are two good approaches. One approach is to try to make the new parts match the existing, both in style and character, so that the addition looks like something that could have been part of the original design. The other approach is to differentiate the new parts from the old, both in style and materials, so it’s clear where the original starts and the new begins. The second approach removes a lot of the design constraints and allows a lot more freedom to explore new directions.
One of the fundamental goals of this project required the existing home to remain essentially intact. However, the site constraints required a more vertical approach in order to meet the other design guidelines. A greatly sloping site allowed for a three-story addition at the back to remain mostly hidden from the street. A stair tower connects a lower level carport, main level living spaces, and an upper level fitness area and roof deck. The nature of the carport and roof deck require spaces that are open and flat, which are fundamental aspects of modern design. The main level appears to float above the carport, while still providing a solid base for the roof deck above. The structure for the upper level roof is exposed and uncompromising.
Year: 2023
Style: Contemporary Modern Addition
Location: City of Decatur, Georgia.
Stats: 5 Bedrooms, 4-1/2 Baths, 3,009 heated square feet
Contractor: Mahfoud Construction