Project 2: Contextual Fit
This project proposes an addition to the Smith House (1965) by Richard Meier, located on the shore of Long Island Sound. The design begins with an analysis of the home’s existing ordering systems—geometry, proportion, and spatial organization—as a basis for extension.
Through extrusion and transformation of these systems, the addition develops a complementary massing that respects the original architecture while establishing its own identity. The program includes a duplex master suite, exercise room, family room, and formal outdoor space, responding to the homeowners’ evolving needs.
The project balances continuity and contrast, reinforcing the integrity of the original design while introducing new spatial relationships.
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Meta Idea: Lighthouse
The Smith Family Home Addition is guided by the metaphor of the lighthouse—a central, grounding space that organizes daily life. A shared gathering area acts as the heart of the home, with private and secondary spaces radiating outward to balance connection and retreat.Natural light, material warmth, and framed ocean views reinforce this concept, creating a strong relationship between interior life and the coastal setting. The result is an addition that not only expands the home, but strengthens the family’s connection to each other and their environment.
Public
Individual
Private
Group
Master Bedroom
Master Bath
Bedroom
Bathroom
Exercise Room
Roof Top Deck
Deck
Family Room
Living Room
Master Bedroom
Master Bath
Bedroom
Bathroom
Exercise Room
Roof Top Deck
Deck
Family Room
Living Room
Kitchen
Dining Room
Existing Floor Plans
Lower Level
Entry Level
Upper Level
Existing Building Systems & Patterns
Final Floor Plans
Lower Level
Entry Level
Upper Level
New Floor Analysis
Preliminary Designs
Three preliminary schemes were developed by mapping massing and circulation paths. Each explored different spatial organizations and relationships to the existing home. After evaluating flow, integration with the original layout, and overall potential, the third design was selected for further development.
Preliminary 1
Preliminary 2
Preliminary 3
Conceptual Meta-Idea
Existing Systems brought into new addition:
= Mullion
= Parapet Wall
= Girder & Column
= Bearing Wall
Elevations
Front Elevation
Left-Side Elevation
Rear Elevation
Right-Side Elevation
Sections
Renderings
Transformation
