Rittenhouse House

Architect:Terra Studio LLC
Neighborhood: Rittenhouse Square
Project Type: New Construction
Square Footage: 4,020 sq ft
Photographer:Jeffrey Totaro

This new home on Rittenhouse explores the relationship between the present and the past in the city’s largest historic district. The site was assembled from two lots where houses from the 1950s were deemed “non-contributing” by the Historical Commission and removed. The classically composed façade references the city’s historic Georgian style, while the traditional materials of Pennsylvania brick and Indiana limestone are shaped into more current forms. The tall, central window subdivides the façade, and alludes to the double nature of the property’s past. The proportions of this window stretch architectural tradition and express the modernist notion that exterior form should reflect interior space, as the window follows the rise of the central stairway within.

The double property allows an expansiveness that is unusual in Center City. The dramatic stair hall connects the four levels and allows natural light from the skylights to stream through the house. The interior is designed to create a sense of openness while the details accentuate the character of each space. Custom bookshelves and cabinetry flow from the dining room to the living room, which is accentuated by a colorful mosaic by Isaiah Zagar. At the back of the house, the windows and balconies offer pleasant views of the treed courtyard. The green roof frames the second-floor bathroom window while addressing the sustainability issues of rainwater retention and heat island reduction. The Rittenhouse House artfully shapes traditional materials with a modern sense of space to serve the needs and aspirations of contemporary city living.

*Please note that this home will only be available for touring on Saturday, October 5th.*