Behind the Design: Sustainable Renovation in Brooklyn

When working in historic townhouses, existing staircases are often closed off and in poor condition. This results in tight, dark hallways on each level, cutting off the movement of light from one floor to another. We designed a new sculptural staircase that visually connects each floor, punctuated by a continuous handrail that spans from the top floor all the way to the cellar. The new staircase enables daylight from the top-floor skylight to filter through every level of the home. On the upper floors, we prioritized aligning openings to reveal the full depth of the house, front to back. We also increased the size of the skylight above the staircase and removed dropped ceilings where possible to maximize system height and further enhance the sense of openness.

Garden floors of most historic homes tend to be dark, with low ceiling heights, and often feel disconnected from the parlor floors above. Historically, they served as kitchens and service areas, while the grand parlor floors were reserved for entertainment. Today, many homeowners prefer multifunctional spaces that span multiple floors, presenting opportunities for innovative spatial connections that increase natural light and improve flow.

When designing the living and entertainment spaces on the lower floors, our goal was to improve the connection between spaces and bring in as much natural light as possible. In this house, a sculptural stair leads from the kitchen—located at the rear of the parlor floor—to the living space on the garden floor. Instead of installing a rear deck on the parlor floor, the clients opted to have the garden floor serve as the sole access point to the rear yard. This allowed us to clad the rear façade with an expanse of high-performance glazing, maximizing daylight penetration into both the parlor and garden levels. A continuous pane of energy-efficient glass stretching vertically from the parlor to the garden floor further strengthens the connection between these spaces.

Creating a parlor floor layout that allows for living space, a dining area, and a kitchen is important because most people spend the bulk of their time in these spaces. Ensuring proper delineation between spaces preserves the home's character and enables thoughtful interior design elements to define each area. The curved stair in the kitchen allows for dynamic interactions between the spaces above and below. Additionally, lowering the garden floor by several steps created a sense of openness and increased the ceiling height to better match the proportions of the parlor level.

Cellar spaces are often underutilized due to their typically low ceilings and lack of natural light. However, when designed thoughtfully, they can be some of the most engaging and versatile areas in a home. In this project, we integrated the cellar with the garden level via the open staircase, eliminating walls and doors to maintain visual and spatial continuity. Excavating the center of the cellar created a flexible open space, and strategically separating the mechanical room maximized the usability of the remaining square footage.

Sustainability Measures Improve Occupant Health

Once a home has been designed to be bright, airy, and spatially efficient, the next challenge is to ensure a healthy and serene indoor environment. Many of our projects, including this one, incorporate filtered fresh-air systems, called ERVs, that operate 24/7. High-performance ventilation systems introduce fresh air economically, conditioning it as it enters the home. Clients are often unfamiliar with these systems, but once they experience the benefits, they become indispensable feature of their home.

Many critical elements that contribute to a home's health and comfort are invisible once construction is complete. For instance, sealing the house against unwanted dust, moisture, and pests with a liquid-applied air sealant on party walls and a vapor-open membrane on exterior walls ensures a well-regulated indoor environment. These air barriers, installed early in construction, maintain breathability while allowing fresh air to enter through the windows or the ERV system.

Another essential performance measure is the use of high-quality, Passive house-level insulation. Effective insulation strategies must address thermal bridging, ensuring that the building's connections to the exterior contain thermal breaks. Left unmitigated, thermal bridges can lead to cold floors and walls, higher energy bills, and general discomfort. Incorporating high-performance insulation and eliminating thermal bridges ensures a stable indoor climate year-round with minimal reliance on mechanical systems.

Windows and doors play a crucial role in building performance. Over the past decade, the increase of available high-performance glazing has allowed for expansive openings without compromising energy efficiency. Investing in well-designed, thermally efficient windows and doors enables seamless indoor-outdoor experiences while maintaining comfort and reducing heating and cooling costs.

By integrating these passive house strategies, the home's building envelope can maintain interior temperatures without depending on complex mechanical systems. Eliminating unnecessary elements such as boilers, radiators, and excessive ductwork frees up space for the architectural and interior design features that make a home feel truly special. Clients frequently note the simplicity of operation, enhanced comfort, and quiet environment that these measures provide. In the end, a well-designed home is not just about aesthetics—it is about creating a sustainable, energy-efficient living space that feels effortless, healthy, and deeply connected to its occupants.

To learn more, visit our Sustainability Page. For an inside look at our design approach, join us for a behind-the-scenes tour of homes undergoing renovations, focusing on key strategies that create sustainable, light-filled, and healthy living spaces. We'll be taking a look behind the walls of passive houses on Wednesday, March 19th, at 12:00 PM ET on Passive House Accelerator LIVE! Sign up here.

If you're reading this after the event, stay tuned for upcoming discussions and recordings.

The townhouse just came on the market, listed by Ellen Hamilton of the Corcoran Group. Check out the listing here!

Thanks to the entire design team, including bldgtyp, BIA Interiors, and Cathy Hobbs, who staged the house for sale.

SOURCE Ingui Architecture