US firm Barker Freeman Design Office has renovated a slender brick row house in Brooklyn and added a two-storey extension with a glass wall overlooking a garden (+ slideshow).

Called the 12 Foot Wide Rowhouse, the project entailed the refurbishment of a 12-foot-wide (3.6 metres), four-storey residential building.

The firm completely gutted the dwelling, which dates to the late 19th century.
"We were approached by the clients, who are married professionals with two young children, to create an open, flowing living space that feels expansive despite the narrow dimensions," said Barker Freeman Design Office, also known as BFDO.

"This 12-foot-wide row house for a family of four organises life on four narrow but light-filled levels," said the studio.
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In addition to the renovation, the firm created a two-storey addition at the rear of the house, with a shopfront-style glass wall that overlooks a small yard.

"The clients liked the idea that the back of the house would be streamlined and modern, and they wanted to maximise the light that would enter the space," said the team.

The rectilinear addition is clad in cement on the upper level and wood on the ground floor.
An elevated patio features a spiral metal staircase that leads down to the garden, which is bordered by a wooden fence.

Inside, the studio preserved historic details wherever po...