HISTORIC BUNGALOW EXPANSION AND REHABILITATION
LOCATION: Miramar, San Juan, Puerto Rico
PROJECT AREA: 3,000 ft²
PROJECT YEAR: 2019
Awards:
Excellence in Design Awards - Renovations & Additions
DESCRIPTION:
The owners of a 3000 SF 1920s bungalow in the Miramar historic district approached us to design an addition to house a studio and a new kitchen. The program brief included the design of a new terrace and pool as well as the rehabilitation and remodeling of interior spaces within the house. The roof structure was significantly reinforced, and new roofing panels, gutters and rain leaders were installed. As part of the design, we demolished a poorly built addition and unlevel terrace and a cracked leaky plunge pool. The existing ineffective air conditioning system was removed and replaced by new air energy efficient air handlers and a proper distribution of ductwork. Rather than mimic the existing architecture, clearly distinguishing the addition as something belonging to current times while respecting and rehabilitating the historic structure was critical. New construction is a wood slat patterned exposed concrete wall with wide openings to the pool terrace blurring the connection between inside and out and making the most of a small yard by leveling it with the house.
The addition includes a new kitchen where cooking and socializing are intermingled, a new studio, and a bathroom. On the ground level, what was once the kitchen in the existing house became a dining room adjacent to the new kitchen. A new opening connects the living room with the dining room and terrace beyond. On the upper level, closets and bathrooms were reconfigured to add a laundry and maximize light, storage and add a laundry room. The existing roof structure was reinforced with steel members and sheathed with new thicker gauge galvanized sheets. Mechanical, plumbing, and lighting systems were also completely updated. Although budgetary constraints did not allow desired window replacement, the existing aluminum windows from a previous intervention were restored and painted.