7 Striking Contemporary Additions
Contrasting Designs Honor the Difference Between Old and New
My last ideabook looked at the difference between Modern and Contemporary, two similar and often confused styles of architecture. When either a modern or contemporary structure is added to an old building of whatever style, the distinction is much more obvious.
Not everybody appreciates contrast between old and new, but one take on the issue says the difference means new acknowledges old by not repeating it. In other words old is clearly old and new is clearly new. That stance certainly won't solve any battles over taste, but it makes for some interesting residential additions that respond to the clients needs through a contemporary palette.
Modern or Contemporary: What's the Difference?
Not everybody appreciates contrast between old and new, but one take on the issue says the difference means new acknowledges old by not repeating it. In other words old is clearly old and new is clearly new. That stance certainly won't solve any battles over taste, but it makes for some interesting residential additions that respond to the clients needs through a contemporary palette.
Modern or Contemporary: What's the Difference?
This addition by David Rea Architects in Ashurstwood, England is comprised of an artist's studio and a main living space. The contrast between the mainly glass one-story addition and the two-story gabled brick house is undeniable, but it's clear the architect minimize the relationship of new to old vertically ...
... And the architect made the addition almost invisible from the front of the house. This is a quality that most of the examples in this ideabook share: They tend to add to the rear of the house. This is probably due to more space being available there for an addition, but also for privacy and to keep the curbside appeal as is.
Probably the most complementary addition in this ideabook is this Village Farmhouse in Vermont by Birdseye Design. The addition to the gable house opts to angle the roofline up and away from it, as if in deference to it. The porch covering unites old and new.
Another view of the Village Farmhouse shows the more generous and asymmetrical glazing of the addition, with corner windows wrapping the sides.
This 1,000-square-foot addition to an existing house of basically the same size is quite interesting in how it starts with a traditional residential language (gable roof, wood siding, punched openings) and then creates variation on this theme. The siding portion seems to be shifted and lifted above a glassy kitchen area; the terrace above shields the glass walls and space behind from the Austin, Texas sun.
Another view of the 1,000-sf addition by Webber + Studio shows how the roof extends down the side of the addition to create privacy for the master bedroom and its terrace. This echoes how the roof reaches to the ground on the other side of the house, evident in the previous photo.
This large residence made up of three buildings on Long Island uses one-story contemporary elements to unite the pieces rendered in the local gabled vernacular. In this view of the Robert Young-designed project, the whitewash-and-glass, flat-roofed piece connects two shingle-clad volumes. Seen from another view ...
... This glass addition is quite open, allowing the residents to move freely but also take in water views. In this project there is a synergy between old and new that is apparent; the shingle volumes are minimal in terms of palette and decoration, just like the glass wall pieces. This is due to the fact this project is actually all new construction, with the gabled pieces designed to match other local buildings.
This design by Sam Crawford is a small addition to a 1930s house on Syndey's North Shore. Situated in a narrow gap to the south of the side, the roof's folded roof form captures sunlight from the north (remember, this is Australia). This roof echoes the old gable form, but it is constructed in steel and corrugated metal instead of wood and shingles.
These last few examples are small rear additions in urban conditions, two by Schwartz and Architecture. Differences can be found in the guardrails of the upper-floor terraces, in this case frosted glass...
... And in this case the guardrails are perforated metal with a distinctive kink at the bottom. These two designs illustrate the extent that many urban additions can accomplish — small extensions of kitchens or other spaces — and how lots of glass and simple details doesn't always differ greatly from old buildings.
This rear garden addition to a Victorian house, also renovated by Hampson Williams, like the first project in this ideabook, heads across the pond. The simple glass and wood design opens up towards the garden, all the while harmonizing with the old brick building. The floor/wall/ceiling wraparound with terrace is a nice touch.
More:
Modern or Contemporary: What's the Difference?
The Case for Interior Courtyards
Browse photos of contemporary architecture
More:
Modern or Contemporary: What's the Difference?
The Case for Interior Courtyards
Browse photos of contemporary architecture