Slope House

The Slope House proposes a renovation and revisioning of an existing garage of a mid-century modern house in a commuter-rail suburb of New York City. The proposal submerges a garage and additional program – studio / workshop, storage areas, and two bedrooms with a kitchenette – underneath a sloped green roof that extends the existing hillside and returns to create a space facing back to the existing house.

The integration with the existing terrain creates a series of advantages, the first being the addition of green space to the property. This visually absorbs the building when viewed from up the slope, and creates a potentially productive green area for small herbs, vegetables, and flowers. In addition, the green roof serves to improve control of water runoff and reuse on the site and provides a natural insulated layer for the rooms below.

The facades of the building are clad in vertical oak siding to match portions of the existing building. The grey oak ages unevenly creating a natural surface to compliment the green roof and surrounding vegetation.