Year 2021
Location Somerville, MA
Size 3500 sq ft
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General Contractor Hughes Construction
Photographer Ben Gebo
Prospect Hill Victorian
Tucked along a quiet dead-end street in the heart of Cambridge, this home is an exploration in restraint, light, and performance. Building in Cambridge demands a careful negotiation between historic context and contemporary ambition. Here, the objective was clear: craft a high-performance urban home that feels private, breathable, and deeply connected to nature, despite its dense surroundings.
The narrow site became an opportunity rather than a limitation. By building vertically and sculpting the interior section, we created a continuous flow of light from roofline to ground floor. Light wells, expansive glazing, and a glass-railed stair allow daylight to cascade downward, transforming what could have been a tight footprint into a luminous sanctuary. High ceilings and strategic window placement dissolve the sense of enclosure, replacing it with openness and calm.
Performance was foundational, not supplemental. The home is wrapped in a robust, carefully detailed envelope designed to endure New England winters while minimizing energy demand year-round. Advanced insulation, low-carbon materials, and precision air-sealing elevate the building beyond code creating comfort that is felt, not just measured. Intelligent systems and efficient mechanical design quietly reinforce this approach, reducing carbon impact while enhancing daily life.
At the same time, materiality tempers modern form with warmth. Clean lines are softened by natural wood textures and generous spans of glass, reinforcing a biophilic sensibility that draws the landscape inward. Garden views are framed with intention, ensuring greenery becomes part of the architecture rather than a backdrop to it. The result feels both progressive and homey; a quiet counterpoint to the city beyond its walls.
Before / After
Prospect Hill Victorian
Year 2021 Location Somerville, MA
Size 3500 sq ft
General Contractor Hughes Construction Photographer Ben Gebo
This client approached SKA because they wanted to convert their unfinished basement into usable living area for their growing family, which expanded by one during the construction. The program for their updated basement includes, a playroom/family room with a pull down wall bed for guests as needed, laundry, storage, bathroom, and mechanical room. Working within the existing constraints of the basement, such as ceiling height, existing structural posts and HVAC vents, SKA developed with the clients a transitional space that optimized storage and openness while maximizing use. The end result is a cozy additional level that the family can now occupy and enjoy.