Live/Work Townhouse
This Live/Work townhouse concept redefines flexibility for modern urban life. A sunken courtyard and light wells reframe the basement as a desirable workspace, while a terrace above invites pause. Material continuity and thoughtful screening ensure privacy, cohesion, and understated elegance; delivering a seamless live/work balance within a dense urban context.
Client's Vision
To create a flexible Live/Work model tailored for urban professionals, where both function and beauty are given equal consideration. The concept needed to elevate the perception of typically underutilized spaces, like basements, and offer moments of retreat in an otherwise fast-paced lifestyle.
Design Strategy
The site was approached as an opportunity to integrate light, privacy, and natural materiality into a compact form. Programmatically, each level serves a dual purpose; allowing the end-user to choose how the space supports their workday, living rhythms, and interaction with the city around them.
Key Challenge
Making the Foundation Level desirable despite being below grade, and balancing privacy with openness in an urban townhouse typology.
Our Solution
Light wells and a sunken courtyard open up the Foundation Level, bringing in daylight and ventilation. A rooftop terrace on the upper level offers a quiet escape. Exterior materials, including concrete, metal, and wood, mirror the interior palette, while metal screens provide subtle privacy without compromising light or cohesion.
Defining Moments
- Sunken courtyard that reframes the Foundation Level as a workspace
- Gunmetal band anchors the elevation and supports planter growth
- Vegetated metal screens create a dynamic facade that evolves over time
Project Partners
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