Chestnut St. Beacon Hill Boston, MA

Located in Beacon Hill, this house, originally built in the late 19th century as a stable, and converted to a car repair shop in the 20s, has a 'zero lot line', meaning that the building extends to the edge of the lot and there is no exterior space at ground level.  It is also a very deep building, and getting light into the interior of the building without compromising usable space was the primary challenge.  We created an interior Atrium lit from above by a courtyard paved with glass; a first on a residential building in Boston.  Our aspiration was to fill the Atrium with diffuse day light and yet be aware of passing clouds.