Tiny Space Poses Huge Challenges

Once Michael saw the long driveway, he was more than willing to ignore the crumbling structure at the end of it. A property in the heart of Philadelphia’s Manayunk section with four cars worth of parking is a rare commodity – and it was precisely the slice of urban suburbia the Lancaster Country orthodontist required for his weekend retreat. 

“It’s twenty minutes closer to us than Center City, has great dining and shopping, and gives us access to all the surrounding running and biking trails,” enthuses the Manayunk devotee. A veteran of multiple renovations, the dental professional was braced for a few headaches, but had no idea converting the 800 square foot former dairy barn into a five-star getaway would be, well…like pulling teeth.

Indeed, the tiny space posed huge challenges but architect Marc Pinard and builder Marc Kaman prevailed, creating a dazzling little gem: artistic and high tech, its size inversely proportionate to its complexity. “When you’re dealing with such a confined space, every detail is a riddle and its solution then becomes the next problem,” sighs Pinard. “To incorporate all the desired bells and whistles into a plan that made architectural sense, every cubic inch had to be carefully thought out.”

In fact, every cubic inch was painstakingly laid out, with true to size, paper simulations of each design element; an innovative way to get a realistic grasp of the big –or rather the small – picture. Certainly not something that would work in a McMansion, jokes Pinard, but cramped conditions dictated he add a little madness to his method. “When centimeters count, scale drawings cannot offer the same precision as full-size renderings, especially for bulky items like the kitchen counter.” By drawing the actual counter and positioning it in the space, Pinard could tweak its size by micro-increments, giving Michael and his wife Keri just enough room to squeak by without bumping into it.

That counter’s apostrophe shape--and the curvature of the cabinet across from it--is both visually appealing and geometrically correct for the limited space, says Pinard. “Rounded edges allow elements to share space more fluidly, pinching in and bulging out in places that might not be acceptable if they were rectilinear, or sharp edged.” The circular form can spill comfortably into the circulation spaces, for increased storage and a comfy eating area, but doesn’t intrude into the kitchen’s work area.

The client’s desire for a sleek industrial ambiance supported this environment’s need to merge style and function. “Going industrial allowed us to forgo trim and finishes that would have encumbered the space,” explains Pinard who chose thin materials like stainless steel to maintain the industrial style and incorporated open elements – such as the spiral staircase and open beamed ceiling – to lessen that feeling of claustrophobia. The ceiling’s structure not only creates support for the second level’s floor, but allows overhead lighting to be tucked between the slats so as not to protrude from the ceiling. “It really helps the room feel taller,” he observes.

To further integrate artistry into his tightly controlled plan without sacrificing space, Pinard relied on a creative mix of materials. Surfaces on custom cabinetry are half maple and half stainless steel laminate, bisected on the diagonal for a look that is less monolithic. “Cutting things into small pieces definitely heightens their appeal,” says Pinard. “And mixing the materials adds more detail to the same plane, diverting your eye to give the illusion of more space. It is an efficient way to add interest.” Similarly, the floor is divided into sections of concrete and wood. “We get some mileage out of one area feeling like two,” says Pinard.

While the architect rummaged through his bag of spatial enhancement tricks, the builder was struggling to conceal a mountain of mechanicals within an anthill of available wall. “That’s putting it mildly,” laughs Marc Kaman. Opening the floor plan and inserting glass doors into the solid brick barrier between the interior and the courtyard was good news for everyone but him. “The space behind the walls was so limited that every single inch of it was dedicated to a very specific purpose. We couldn’t install a screw without an in depth discussion. Nothing was simple,” he laments.

Construction issues were exacerbated by the dilapidated state of the building. As the project got underway, it became necessary to erect a series of steel cables across the ceiling for stability. They are no longer functional but were kept in place to support the industrial motif. “Construction and design totally overlapped on this project,” confirms Kaman, citing his favorite example, a bathroom door that artfully combines the imaginative and practical. The attractive curved panel of Plexiglas and steel--more sliding sculpture than door--sits snugly against the wall when open and becomes the wall when closed. Maybe the success of the his door helped erase the nightmare of unloading the steel staircase on the Schuylkill Expressway and transferring it to a truck small enough to negotiate Manayunk’s narrow streets. “Now that was an adventure,” he recalls shaking his head.

And then there was the question of gaining admittance to the attic--ultimately the site of most of those pesky mechanicals. There were no spare inches for a set of stairs, or even a small step ladder. Once again, builder ingenuity to the rescue: Kaman strategically arranged a series of pull-down footholds on the wall beneath the attic opening. The climbing gear of utility workers, they can be stored folded against the wall, or used as industrially chic display shelves.

Dealing with Roquefort – wife Keri’s cat, not the cheese – required a more high-tech approach. At first glance, hiding the kitty litter box in the bedroom closet and providing access through a mini entrance cut into the closet door seemed the cat’s meow. But a distance of less than two feet between that door and the couple’s bed created a new and urgent concern: odor control. The solution is a motion sensor in the closet that trips when Roquefort enters and activates a fan that automatically runs for half an hour to ameliorate any lingering evidence of his presence. Purrfect.

Throughout this project, necessity was the mother of invention--for felines and humans alike. Pinard chuckles as he recalls one particularly bare necessity involving the unreachable second story window directly across from the loft’s bathroom--through which the view to the neighbor’s is crystal clear…and, um, vice versa. “When we realized the exposure, we installed a button in the bathroom and the room darkening shade now descends automatically for privacy and darkness,” he explains. “Honestly there is more detail in this little house than in homes 10 times its size.”

Call it aesthetic justice for the meticulous, precision oriented orthodontist. His superbly appointed weekend hangout is surely the architectural equivalent to the perfect smile.