Oculus House
(update to new narrative?) How do you bring a historic landmark brownstone fully into the present without erasing what makes it irreplaceable? The Oculus House answers this by leaning into the beautiful tension between old and new—using light as the ultimate bridge.
Throughout the home, original 19th-century elements like period millwork, ornate plasterwork ceilings, and rich mahogany details are left intact. Rather than hiding them, we juxtaposed these historic features against bold, contemporary architectural interventions designed to puncture the old structure and flood the spaces with natural light. The result is a striking, balanced contrast: a home that is simultaneously historic and contemporary, weighty and ethereal, intimate and open.
Park Slope Brooklyn brownstone
Photography by Ty Cole
The Plan
To update the landmark brownstone for modern living while respecting its history, the design plan is anchored by two definitive architectural moves:
Opening the Rear Facade: At the rear of the house, the back facade was opened to flood the kitchen with natural light and dissolve the boundary between the interior and the backyard. This visually and physically connects the daily life of the home to the garden beyond. As a dramatic counterpoint to this openness, the kitchen is designed to be dark and richly layered like a cabinet of curiosities—grounded by deep forest green cabinetry, blackened walls, warm walnut shelving, and brass details.
The Upper-Level Atrium: The second, more radical move redefines the entire upper level. At the center of the primary suite, a room was carved into the floor plan and given entirely to the sky. A large circular skylight punctures the roof of the landmarked home, pouring light down into a brand-new indoor atrium that blurs the line between architecture and nature.
Sustainability
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By preserving this 19th-century brownstone, we locked its embodied carbon in place and paired historic architecture with high-performance, eco-conscious updates - the custom, triple-glazed circular skylight offers exceptional thermal insulation. Because it is mechanically operable, it acts as a passive cooling chimney, drawing fresh air through the home to reduce AC reliance.
Carving an open-air atrium into the primary suite introduces a living black olive tree, natural stone, and plaster deep into the floor plan. This biophilic core optimizes natural daylighting to cut electricity use while improving indoor wellness and air quality.
