This home designed by Cincinnati Modernist Hans Neutzel is currently owned by an artist who wanted to build a studio over the current garage. Design priorities included an open flexible design, even and indirect sunlight, convenience to the current living space, and efficiency in terms of construction effort as well as energy consumption. The form of this addition was conceived as a play on the roof pitches of the existing home.


The butterfly roof allowed for high windows with plenty of natural lighting and a dynamic open feel to the space while a central steel beam offered an industrial utilitarian element as it supports the new roof and doubles as a hoisting support mechanism for heavy lifting. The owner took an active part in the design process as we worked on the spacial arrangement, views to the river, and in his inclusion of an artful glass block arrangement in the bathroom and shower space.