Princeton, NJ 2025 What was once a modest ranch-style home has been transformed into a striking custom residence that elegantly embraces its sloping site. This new sustainable home commands attention while harmonizing with its natural surroundings.
Focused on sustainability and adaptive reuse, the project preserved the existing home’s foundations during demolition, while raising the first-floor joists to increase the basement’s head height. Early design discussions centered on connecting the new spaces within the original footprint and highlighting the site’s most compelling feature: the panoramic view of Lake Carnegie.
The home’s distinct character unfolds from five unique vantage points: the neighborhood, the lake, the rooftop deck, the main floor, and the vertical stair tower.
From the neighborhood, the front elevation was designed with sensitivity to its context. Although larger than neighboring structures, the home’s profile complements the scale of the street. From the lake, the house stands as a sculptural landmark along the shoreline, where its true scale is fully revealed. From the rooftop deck, an elevated viewing platform provides unobstructed views of the lake, framed by height rather than walls. From the main floor, spaces for socializing and private dwelling are strategically arranged along the rear elevation, ensuring that each room enjoys panoramic views of the lake. From the vertical stair tower, four stories are centrally connected from the walk-out basement to the rooftop, providing awe-inspiring vistas of both Lake Carnegie and the neighborhood. Studio Hillier designed the custom staircase and its components in collaboration with a local steel fabricator.
The carefully selected exterior materials—dark-painted poly-ash siding with custom milled profiles, frosted channel glass, dark bronze lighting fixtures and window frames, perforated metal screens around the circular deck stairs, and clear glass railings—work in concert to accentuate the home’s relationship with the landscape and the lake.
This project is a powerful example of how adaptive reuse can seamlessly blend modern luxury with sustainability. By honoring the original structure and meticulously crafting every detail, Studio Hillier created a home that is both a respectful neighbor and a bold architectural statement. The integration of interior and exterior spaces, all oriented toward the stunning lake views, results in a residence that offers not just a place to live, but a truly immersive experience. The home stands as a testament to thoughtful design, where every element—from the preserved foundation to the custom stair tower—serves to strengthen the connection between the residents and their extraordinary environment.
Builder Adeer Builders
Photography Julian Edgren
Recognition 2025 AIA Central New Jersey Design Award in Residential Category
