Working closely with Hivemind, Skyplane Studio Architects diligently executed the historic preservation and, with help from the owner, carved new life into the eponymous IM Pei House in Society Hill.

This gut renovation re-imagined the home’s layout to meet the needs of a young family. Creating the open layout of the first floor was a heavy lift, requiring structural modifications and relocation of the home’s entire mechanical systems. The final design of the first-floor stairs belongs to the homeowners, who threw it in the mix at the last minute, gaining the immediate approval of the whole team.

An early project for Skyplane, and one of several collaborations with Hivemind, the home became yet another study of the prototypical “Rowhouse”. In this case, examining how IM Pei’s studio, skillfully balanced the duality of the rigid “row-order” with the flexibility of an open plan and thoughtful connection to site and place – achieved through a distinguished entrance and a private garden court rich with history from its various inhabitants - a very good plan was uniquely improved to suit its new owners.