COURTYARD HOUSE

This new, single family home is minimal in form and material, a contemporary counterpoint to the historic fabric of its Cambridge neighborhood that builds on a language of material simplicity and precise assemblage. The building’s form shields outdoor living spaces from the public realm of the street and organizes rooms around specific views and direct access to the protected, lush back yard landscape, managing privacy for its occupants. An intervening micro-courtyard, planted with a single tree, introduces nature and light deep into the living space of the attenuated plan. Daylight washes through interior spaces that are arranged around a figural stair connecting the first floor open living space to second floor bedrooms and studies.