The program called for a complete “re” construction of a typical federal style rowhouse shell. The original rowhouse was built in 1980 as a two-story single-family house. Having a with of less than 12 feet, the design challenge was to create a modern dwelling for a young couple and home office. The existing front facade and brick party walls were preserved to respect the original streetscape and building construction of the rowhouse typology. The back facade, however, was removed and expressed in a very modern way. Taking advantage of the southern sun exposure and views toward the downtown skyline, the rear facade was constructed with a 30-foot tall glass wall, maximizing the natural light into the entire rowhouse. The design also called for a third story addition and roof deck. The inherent qualities of the materials used such as glass, cypress wood, concrete, steel, and brick were exposed and doors were deleted to allow a living space that was defined functionally yet could flow into one another seamlessly. This rowhouse embraces the scale and history of the urban context while expressing its modern design proposed for today’s city dwelling.