By james art Architect CO Adaptive multiplied the energy efficiency of a landmark 19th-century townhouse while preserving the exquisite stucco.
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From the outside it looks like an impeccably restored brick period townhouse, which it is. Its ironwork, windows and front doors look almost exactly as they did in the mid-19th century. Inside, too, the etched glass doors of the vestibule and the decorative stucco on the living room floor would be the envy of any historic preservationist.
All these vintage details are truly original and recently refinished. What’s unique about this Boerum Hill townhouse, a project by CO Adaptive, an architecture studio based in the Brooklyn Navy Yard known for retrofitting old buildings to make them energy efficient, is what’s unseen. “We went out of our way to make sure all the mechanical systems were hidden, and we were really subtle in how we managed them so that we didn’t detract from the beauty of the house,” said architect Ruth Mandel, co-principal of the firm. along with her husband, architect Bobby Johnston.
The three-story townhouse belongs to longtime owners who, as their children grow up and move out, decide to finally take measures to reduce the house’s energy load. “They came in wanting a passive house, but it became quite disruptive — adding 8 to 12 inches of insulation, opening up walls, disturbing the beautiful stucco,” Mandle said. “Some things meet the passive house standard, but it’s not a passive house because we haven’t added insulation in the front and back. We added it on the roof and in the bathrooms, but there weren’t as many demos as it would have been for that extra step.”
Among other things, CO Adaptive replaced a gas-fired boiler and radiators with a heat pump system and an energy recovery fan that continuously supplies filtered air using the same ductwork as for heating and cooling. They carried out significant masonry work on the damaged rear facade and parapet wall, replaced an old wooden deck with a new metal one and installed new triple-glazed windows, taping them to the existing masonry openings to make them airtight.
The room layout more or less retains its original configuration, although CO Adaptive introduced new, wider openings in the living room floor rooms to increase flow and connectivity between spaces. They removed layers of paint on historic wood paneling and restored cracked plaster, using custom molds if necessary, although not much was needed. “The plaster was in great shape,” Mandle said.
The timber frames of the new Bewiso triple-glazed windows are painted a deep Landmarks-approved green.
The carved doors of the vestibule and the main staircase were repaired and finished. The old pine floors proved salvageable, requiring only sanding and a zero VOC Rubio Monocoat finish.
On the living room floor, where CO Adaptive introduced wider openings between spaces, the new moldings are the same width as the rest of the retro, but a simpler profile. “It’s nice to say what the modern changes are — in keeping with the way the house was, but acknowledging that it’s not the original,” Mandle said.
The all-new galley kitchen is located in an outbuilding that may be as old or nearly as old as the house itself. For reasons of economy, it was decided to leave the kitchen essentially where it was, rather than extend it into what is now the dining room. “Moving the plumbing and utility connections would be expensive,” Mandl said. But moving the refrigerator and adding additional storage in the entryway beyond the kitchen “creates additional connectivity between the kitchen and the dining room,” the architect said.
Also for budgetary reasons, the gas stove remained, as the switch to electric heating had increased the electrical capacity of the house. “It would have been very expensive to upgrade the electric service,” Mandl explained.
The kitchen cabinets are Reform’s Basis design, oiled oak below and painted above to match the surrounding walls.
In a renovated top-floor bathroom, Nemo turquoise floor tiles add a splash of color to the proceedings.
New high-performance skylights and hatch from Lamilux enhance daylight. The old-fashioned light fixture is original to the house.
The new steel deck at the rear of the house was painted pale green with a satin finish, and the rear facade was covered with waterproof plaster.
[Photos by Naho Kubota]
The inner man is Brownstoner’s weekly in-depth look at a notable interior design/renovation project, from a design journalist Cara Greenberg. Find it here every Thursday morning.
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