If one had to guess where this pared-back residence would most likely exist, probably every city in minimalist-loving Japan would seem more likely than the truth, that it actually sits in the far reaches of Queens, New York. As architects Devin O'Neill and Faith Rose reveal in the latest issue of New York Design Hunting, the structure's exterior form, with its compact shape and noted dearth of frill, is actually inspired by the Levittown-style more typical of the surrounding homes. While the edifice is an outward nod to its neighbors, the internal design has nothing to do with the New York architecture of old. O'Neill and Rose were working off an incredibly specific challenge from the client: figure out how to coherently accommodate three branches of a family into one single structure.
What the designers ultimately delivered is a modern, practical example of how large or unconventional families can live under one roof. The street-facing stucco-clad volume fits in a two-story dwelling for the client's brother and sister-in-law. On the yard-facing end, the client, his wife, and two children occupy the upper portions of the house, while the client's parents reside in the concrete-finished basement level. Though separated for the most part, the three residences do get a bit of interaction through various staircases and a large common space leading out to the backyard and garden.
Take a tour below, but for design details and even more photos, pick up the latest issue of New York Design Hunting.
· New York Design Hunting [official site]
· O'Neill Rose Architects—Choy House [official site]
· All The Printed Page posts [Curbed National]
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