fort greene triplex townhouse extension

Located just a few blocks from leafy Fort Greene Park, this brownstone needed full renovation and was stripped of nearly all original interior details when the clients purchased it. While the façade retained its historic character, the interiors were a blank slate, offering the opportunity to reimagine the home with a balance of restored charm, contemporary function, and abundant natural light.

The design included a deep rear extension on the ground floor, envisioned as an in-law apartment with shared backyard access. This move created a terrace at the parlor level, which houses the main kitchen and living spaces. Instead of a typical deck that would block light to the lower floor, the terrace was integrated into the building perimeter, preserving openness below.

The result is a light-filled, highly functional home that blends Brooklyn brownstone character with an open, contemporary sensibility.

Fort Greene, Brooklyn, NY

Architecture

Lua Scremin
Bo Lee

photography

Skyler Smith

Finishes throughout are natural and serene, with plastered walls, wood, and carefully placed stone.

At the heart of the home, the kitchen is both a family space and a hub for cooking, gathering, and sharing meals with friends. To counter the narrow, window-at-each-end townhouse layout, a full-width skylight was introduced over the kitchen, bringing daylight deep into the space.

The rooftop addition includes a curved stair enclosure, following the townhouse’s natural geometry, and transitions from the home’s only preserved original element—the handrail and newel post—to new custom detailing, honoring the building’s history.

A second large skylight above the new stair to the roof deck brings light through the upper floors.

The marble in the kitchen—selected for its distinctive blue-green veining—is carried through the primary bath vanity, windowsills, and the entry floor, creating a subtle thread that ties the home’s spaces together

fort greene triplex townhouse extension

Architecture

photography

Finishes throughout are natural and serene, with plastered walls, wood, and carefully placed stone.

At the heart of the home, the kitchen is both a family space and a hub for cooking, gathering, and sharing meals with friends. To counter the narrow, window-at-each-end townhouse layout, a full-width skylight was introduced over the kitchen, bringing daylight deep into the space.

The rooftop addition includes a curved stair enclosure, following the townhouse’s natural geometry, and transitions from the home’s only preserved original element—the handrail and newel post—to new custom detailing, honoring the building’s history.

A second large skylight above the new stair to the roof deck brings light through the upper floors.

The marble in the kitchen—selected for its distinctive blue-green veining—is carried through the primary bath vanity, windowsills, and the entry floor, creating a subtle thread that ties the home’s spaces together

bo lee architects

projects about contact

fort greene triplex townhouse extension

Architecture

photography

Finishes throughout are natural and serene, with plastered walls, wood, and carefully placed stone.

At the heart of the home, the kitchen is both a family space and a hub for cooking, gathering, and sharing meals with friends. To counter the narrow, window-at-each-end townhouse layout, a full-width skylight was introduced over the kitchen, bringing daylight deep into the space.

The rooftop addition includes a curved stair enclosure, following the townhouse’s natural geometry, and transitions from the home’s only preserved original element—the handrail and newel post—to new custom detailing, honoring the building’s history.

A second large skylight above the new stair to the roof deck brings light through the upper floors.

The marble in the kitchen—selected for its distinctive blue-green veining—is carried through the primary bath vanity, windowsills, and the entry floor, creating a subtle thread that ties the home’s spaces together

COLUMBIA ST WATERFRONT LOFT

S PORTLAND AVE ROOF TOP APARTMENT

bo lee architects

projects about contact