Carroll House is a single-family home located in a typical 25x100-feet Brooklyn corner lot. A simple stack of shipping containers is cut diagonally along top and bottom to generate a monolithic volume within the dense urban fabric. The diagonal cut shears the containers’ top creating outdoor space at each level, modifying the typical townhouse typology where outdoor space is located at only at the ground. The diagonal wall responds also to the need of providing privacy for the 100-foot street exposure of the house, shielding indoor and outdoor space from traffic and passersby. Large sliding glass walls on each terrace create continuity between indoor space and outdoor private enclosed decks, all connected by exterior stairs.
At ground level, the diagonal cut is mirrored by a concrete ramp and stair that provide entry to the house as well as the cellar and garage. Kitchen, dining and living room occupy the first floor above ground, while the area right above the garage ramp forms a media room with bleacher seating and projector. The kids’ level is right above, with the intimate space of single containers providing privacy to the bedrooms and a large open area dedicated to play. At the top, the master bedroom is split into an open space with bed and large bathtub and a large dressing area with powder rooms.
The original container color and texture is left unpainted and exposed along the vertical strip windows on the main façade. The container assembly optimizes usage, recombining all leftovers generated by the diagonal cut.