Grant Street House’s Four-Story Plan Maximizes Natural Light

Architecture firm MGa | Marcus Gleysteen Architects formed the shape, size, and interior plan of the Grant Street House around the constraints of a steep granite outcropping on the site. The 7,310-square-foot home, built on spec by McGeough Custom Homes in Lexington, Mass., is terraced into the rock across four levels with open floor plans and broad window walls that maximize the available natural light.

The exterior’s modern forms complement its surroundings—particularly the natural rock and mature shade trees—and the traditional architectural context of the neighboring cape and ranch homes. A series of terraced spatial elements reduce the visual impact of the home’s height and size, including black window trims that break the larger exposures into smaller squares. A loggia-shaded roof deck further contrasts the abstract stucco form below.

The home’s stark surfaces and modern angles extend to the inside, with white walls set off by light marble accents and understated wood flooring. The main living spaces on the second floor are scaled to fit large groups, but retain a sense of intimacy with only a few occupants. All formal spaces are open to each other, including the living room and dining room, with direct access to the bedrooms on the third floor.

A broad stairway serves as a connection point between the home’s levels, tying the vertical format together, and doubles as a central light well.