Next Century Modern

Newton, MA

Looking for a new home in the same neighborhood can be a challenge, and in this case, an opportunity. LDa Principal Treff LaFleche spied an innocuous looking mid-century ranch house in his family’s desired neighborhood in Newton, and saw its hidden potential. Using the home’s existing footprint as a starting point, the new design sits in the previous home’s footprint, but adds a second story, a rear expansion and a fresh, contemporary style. The below grade garage and general footprint of the new structure reflect the original ranch, but the layout and aesthetic are radically different. The butterfly roof, simple volumes and graphic changes in materials come together into a new, modern composition. Inside, generous use of contemporary wood windows, tall ceilings and enlarged openings keep the home bright, airy and open. The revised floor plan supports the active circulation of a family of seven, with public spaces on the main floor, bedrooms on the second, and guest, garage and media room in the basement. Using an overall restrained palette, bold gestures were made with changes in texture and materials throughout the home, accented with the family’s art collection and modern furniture.

Sustainable design was also made a priority, with roof top solar panel system, an advanced thermal envelope and efficient HVAC systems. The solar panel system has 71 total panels that are distributed across the multiple roof elements of the house producing 22KW of energy. Due to the strategic orientation and shallow pitch of each roof line, not a single solar panel can be seen from the road or yard. The entire exterior of the home is wrapped with a rigid insulation system to eliminate thermal bridging of the structure and ensure that unwanted air infiltration is eliminated as much as possible. This exterior system, combined with the robust interior spray foam insulation allowed for a highly efficient all-electric heat pump heating and cooling system. Together, these components delivered a final HERS rating of 6, but with the hope of achieving net zero performance with careful and thoughtful use over the course of the year.