Classic Modern Mix: 13 Striking Additions to Historical Houses

Modern Penthouse Built Onto Grandparents’ Home
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When expanding a townhouse in Spain for multigenerational residency, Grupo Aranea decided to go the dramatic route and highlight the contrast between old and new, essentially plopping a brand new townhouse right on top of the clients’ grandparents house.

Glass Volumes for Century-Old Beach House
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Rectilinear steel-and-glass boxes add onto a 100-year-old beach house in Toronto, updating it while preserving its historic character. Drew Mandel Architects renovated the entire interior of the three-story house and extended its living space upward with an oversized box window overlooking the sea.

Second-Story Cantilevered Concrete Box
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A concrete box juts out over the yard, leaning as if it’s being pushed out from the other side. This curious addition tops an ordinary brick row house in an industrial neighborhood of Germany, setting itself apart from the surrounding architecture.

Gleaming Vertical Extension
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A heavy stone structure in Toulouse, France rises higher with the help of a gleaming metal structure by BAST, which creates a high-ceilinged interior illuminated by skylights.