Z House

The Z House is a transformative renovation that reimagines urban domestic life. At its core, a new switchback stair organizes the house both vertically and horizontally, carving through the existing structure to create a network of dynamic sightlines and spatial connections. Large windows punctuating the rear façade amplify the stair’s drama, opening the vertical space to the outdoors and directing views through the house toward the garden beyond. From the parlor floor, a secondary stair—woven between a steel guardrail and oak millwork—extends downward to the new rear addition. This new volume contains the kitchen and dining area within a double-height space that visually and physically connects the garden level to the parlor above. A green roof over the addition softens outward views, merging greenery and architecture to create an unexpected sense of seclusion in the heart of the city.