The Aperture House
Aperture House is the comprehensive renovation of a late-19th-century landmarked brick townhouse in South Slope, Brooklyn, transformed from a deteriorated multi-unit building into a light-filled contemporary home.
Originally associated with the neighborhood’s industrial past, the building had undergone numerous alterations, including the conversion of its ground floor into a commercial storefront. Our renovation reimagines the historic masonry structure through a series of carefully considered openings that introduce daylight, connect the interiors to the garden, and give the house a new sense of openness.
The project balances contemporary architectural interventions with a respect for the building’s layered history, preserving its character while adapting it for modern family life.
Photography by Pepe Molina & reBuild Workshop
The Plan
Dating to the late 19th century, the three-story neo-Grec brick townhouse had undergone significant alterations over its long history. By the time of the renovation, both its exterior and interiors were in poor condition, requiring a comprehensive reconstruction.
At the street level, we removed a non-historic brick façade and reconstructed the former storefront using archival photographs from the 1940s as a reference. The new design recalls the building’s commercial past while remaining clearly contemporary, restoring an important chapter of its architectural history.
Above, the parlor floor was reorganized into an open, flexible living space that maximizes daylight and views. Responding to the home’s location on a busy street, the kitchen occupies the center of the plan, allowing the primary living areas to face the quieter rear garden.
The most significant architectural intervention occurs at the back of the house, where a new 10-foot-wide opening transforms the relationship between indoors and outdoors. Custom steel doors open onto a steel-and-cedar deck, extending the living space into the garden and bringing natural light deep into the interior.
Throughout, the design uses carefully placed openings, restrained materials, and thoughtful spatial planning to transform a once-enclosed masonry townhouse into an open, welcoming home.
Performance
The architectural transformation is complemented by substantial improvements to the building’s energy performance and year-round comfort.
A high-efficiency, concealed heat-pump system provides heating and cooling, with outdoor equipment discreetly located on the roof. Mechanical systems and ductwork are carefully integrated into the architecture, preserving ceiling heights and maintaining clean, uninterrupted interior spaces.
The building envelope was comprehensively insulated and air-sealed beyond code requirements, while new high-performance windows improve thermal comfort, reduce drafts, and limit energy loss.
