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As a developer-driven spec house, it was crucial to balance the ambitions of provocative architectural ideas with constraints of a realistic budget. The eventual owner of this home was not the intended owner, at least, not at the very beginning. The rare nature of this property inspired the developer to play an active role in the design of what became his family's future home. The initial question asked by the designers was as follows; how can the traditional brick be pushed to inspire new forms and expressions on a traditional street in the heart of Philadelphia? The concept of a layered brick screen was developed directly with the mason and steel fabricators. The design aimed to iterate on the traditional brick row house typology of Philadelphia to create a new architectural expression.
On a prominent street in Philadelphia’s Graduate Hospital neighborhood, the 418 mq Filigree House house sits on a double wide infill lot. A standard residential lot in this city is typically between 14 and 16 feet, resulting in a housing typology that is now centuries old. The rare dimensions of this property created an opportunity for the homeowner to claim more space in the heart of Philadelphia. The duality to this opportunity was the unique challenge posed to the architect: to contextualize the project and balance architectural ambition with a desire to formally integrate with the neighborhood. Reflecting its neighbors in material, the brick façade of the Filigree House is a familiar face on this street; it is through expression that this home stands apart.
We redeveloped this site and sourced construction materials locally. We partnered with local fabricators and contractors to achieve the project.
DIVINE DETAIL AWARD
AIA Philadelphia 2022
ARCHITECT MAGAZINE
“Filigree House”
Edward Keegan, AIA, 9 Dec. 2022
BRICK IN ARCHITECTURE
AWARDS
Silver Award / Single Family
Residence, 2021
BRICK IN ARCHITECTU RE
AWARDS
Craftsmanship Award 2021
THE NEW YORK TIMES
“It Was Supposed to be a Spec
House. Then the Builder Got
Emotionally Involved.”
Tim McKeough, 22 Feb. 2022
INTERIOR DESIGN BEST
OF YEAR AWARD FINALIST –
CITYHOUSE
Interior Design Magazine 2021
MERIT AWARD BUILT
AIA Tri-State 2021
HONOR AWARD BUILT
AIA Pennsylvania 2021
A technically clever variation in bond and orientation allows this experiment of brick to expand on the traditional brick rowhouse typology. Prioritizing privacy for the owner and visual interest, a carefully crafted, 4-layer brick screen façade system was developed. The dynamic form of the brick results in shifting highlights and shadows throughout the day. The screen effectively acts as a veil. This layered brick facade is structurally supported by a curved steel support frame, dark and sinuous in contrast to the earthy brick. A freestanding helical stair of steel and wood is visible from the street, filtering the views inward of passersby. From the outside, the stair lends verticality to the dynamic brick face through framed openings in the screen, while also reflecting the sinuous nature of the dark steel frame support. The stair anchors the interior double-height space, providing the user an intimate look at the inside of the brick screen as they ascend. As the street succumbs to dusk, the veil now illuminates from the inside; formally dark voids in the brick screen now glow. The interior spaces of the Filigree House benefit from the double wide lot. Enclosed utilitarian spaces are centralized in plan, providing light-filled perimeter rooms for gathering. The brick façade is capped by the terrace perimeter, while the third story steps backward, allowing the screen to stand as a unified material expression.
Not a quote from our client, but the AIA Pennsylvania Award Jury described the project as follows: “That layering...it’s striking, it’s restrained, balanced with playfulness.”
Moto Designshop is an unconventional Architecture and Interior Design studio based in Philadelphia, PA, USA. We embark on each project with an intrinsic curiosity about what drives our client’s aspirations and a rich understanding of construction methodologies. It is this balance that ensures a finely-tuned architectural experience at every scale. Above all else, we have a passion for the process of making, artfully crafting the built environment with a human-centric approach. Moto Designshop is a certified Minority Business Enterprise.
Featured projects include:
Saint Joseph's University Arrupe Hall
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Cost: $12 Million USD
Filigree House
Location: Philadelphia, PA
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Cost: $1 Million USD
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