ADDITIONS TO THE ONETA HOUSE

This fantastical project began as with the classic modern house designed by Philip Johnson. In this project, the juxtaposition between the austere brick box structure and the picturesque garden elements is striking, and imbues the home with an almost eccentric character.

The new owners of the house cared not only about aesthetics, however, but also about practicality. With two young children and another on the way, they wanted to double the amount of interior space, without compromising the intimate interaction between structure and landscape.

The DWA team added space to the house in the form of structural "plantings" - annex buildings that evoke trees and shrubbery while providing functional living space. The original home ­ now less than half the total space of the additions ­ is still center-stage, but is now sensitively balanced with the additions and the landscape.

The Oneta addition illustrates an interesting architectural paradigm: in order to preserve the dialogue between structure and surroundings, additions to a house must often depart from the style of the building, capturing the original effect through entirely different stylistic means.

Featured in  Architectural Digest