This renovation of a typical Halifax house for a large family began with an idea of minimizing growth through smarter use of space. A new back mudroom with a green roof is set at grade, four feet below the ground floor. The space is simultaneously a formal connection to the rear garden and a concealed storage zone, with cubbies set under the upper floor. A coat closet at the lower level supports a planter up at the deck. The kitchen, with a single long concrete island and built in rear cabinets and fridge, anchors the renovated plan. Through a careful play of modulated surfaces and openings, the garden is brought in to the interior environment, and vice versa.

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Photographs: Marvin Moore