O’Sullivan Residence, Maplewood, NJ
for
role
status
year
GSA
Principal
2002
Built
The original two-story colonial house, had had a series of poorly conceived additions which resulted in a U-shaped plan for the ground floor principal living spaces. The resulting two “wings”; one for expanded kitchen and the other for a “family room” were entirely segregated from each other linked only be a circuitous interior path.
These were the two spaces occupied most frequently by the family, and so the client wanted instead to have a single hangout space combining an open kitchen and family room which would also provide views and access to the rear yard which abutted a Maple forest. This would allow them to better supervise their two young children in the house or at the garden at the rear. The new addition would also need to supplement their current dining arrangement to enable more informal dinners and cook-outs and lastly provide privacy and a separate guest room and WC for their frequent overnight guests.
The project proposes a single volume addition which combines the clients’ requirements beneath and low-pitch exposed wood ceiling. Additionally, a deck extends the house into the garden and provides for outdoor dining while establishing a new more practical entry from the garage positioned at the rear of the site.
