A remodel and expansion to the 1950s Scoppettone House designed by iconic mid-century modern sculptor Tony Smith.

When the owners first purchased the modest 2-bedroom Scoppettone House as a “country” retreat, they knew they had found something special, but when they decided to make it their primary residence, they also realized updating the structure would present some unique challenges. The original exterior had deteriorated and been painted over, and the interior living spaces were cramped and outdated. The house needed to be expanded and renovated, but they did not want their intervention to strip away the home’s unique design and history. Also, they did not want the work to disturb a majestic 100-year-old Japanese maple tree at the front of the house.

The solution was to extrapolate from the logic of Smith’s initial design to create a new larger volume around the back of the structure that would not obscure the house’s original sculptural presence and leave space for the maple. The new addition continues the split-level ground floor and looks to the nested massing of the original design to guide its formation.

The renovated house maintains the original tripart organization of the original structure with the entry and circulation on the lower back level, primary living space and kitchen in the front mid-level, and bedrooms all on the upper floors. The addition features a large double-height great room with kitchen and dining areas that look out onto a small deck under the shadow of the old Japanese maple. The new second-floor master suite is cantilevered out with glass corner windows to create the impression that one is suspended among the trees in the forest.

Photography: David Leach