Gilbane Residence
A Landmark Neighborhood
Carved out of the basement of a 1790s house in a landmark neighborhood, the Gilbane residence features an elegant use of materials and an innovative plan that allows the creation of interior spaces without touching or obstructing the perimeter stone walls.
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Client: Richard Gilbane, Gilbane Building Company
Location: Providence, RI
Year: 1985
Status: Built
Program
The space is organized into four main living areas, similar to the classical plan of the house above, with the chimney foundations serving as structural cores. Each foundation is treated according to the spaces surrounding it. One is finished white tile and supports kitchen, bathroom, storage, mechanical, and stair elements. The other has a granite veneer and supports living room, bedroom, and closet elements.
Materiality and Design Elements
In each of the four spaces, one piece (refrigerator, tub, dresser, or hearth) is emphasized as a symbol of the room's use. Between the two cores, mahogany cabinets define a dining area. The apartment floors are cherry wood, with three inset areas of polished black granite. The ceiling is designed as a free-floating, white plaster plane. Interior finishes are smooth, polished, and refined - a dramatic, low maintenance scheme. French doors on axis with the hearth open onto the garden. Small slate terraces by the doors and a fountain at the far end of the garden reinforce the axis. A gravel path in the shape of an ellipse lends formality to the landscape.