Originally the carriage house for a historic residence in Providence, RI, and constructed in 1875, this building has been transformed from a space for horses, to an ice cream factory, a painter’s shop, and finally a garage with a residence on the second floor. Being involved in the art and music community, the owners saw potential for the ground floor space to become a public extension of their home. The need for flexible space led the design, along with their desire to maintain existing wall finishes and other details whenever possible. Retaining many of the existing surface elements, our approach to the design was to place rooms within a room. As a result, contemporary materials and details sit comfortably within an historic context.

In Phase I of renovation, the existing sloped and cracked floor was removed, radiant heat was installed, and a new polished and stained concrete floor was added. The existing bathroom was enlarged and the kitchen was reimagined both to accommodate food and to clean artist’s tools at the end of the day. Pivoting walls were placed to allow for an open space to become smaller rooms. A new carriage house door was designed and constructed out of blackened steel and Mahogany to utilize the entire front opening whenever needed. Designed as a pivot wall, this door can fully open into the space or a smaller door can open out for daily use.

Providence, RI 2016

Principal Designer/Project Manager with Oblique Studio