Skylight House breathes new life into a 1932 residence, rebuilt by Demo Architects following the original footprint and Passive House standards.

In an era defined by environmental awareness and sustainability, the field of architecture is undergoing a profound transformation—shifting toward green building practices and energy-conscious design. At the forefront of this movement is the concept of passive houses: homes designed to minimize energy consumption while maximizing comfort and livability .As demand for sustainable solutions continues to grow, architects like Alessandro Ronfini and Daniel Kidd, co-founders of DEMO Architects, are helping shape a new generation of eco-conscious homes.

Alessandro Ronfini shares the story behind one of their latest projects.

This original two-story house, built in 1932 in Hurley, New York—a small town in the southern Catskills—had been abandoned for nearly a decade, leaving its new owners to question whether anything was worth salvaging.

Structural analysis revealed that the 60 cm thick stone foundation walls had withstood the test of time, preventing settlement and preserving the integrity of nearly the entire first-floor timber structure. Rooted in these solid foundations and rising through a luminous staircase, Skylight House brings new life—and an abundance of light—to a hybrid home that blends renovation with new construction.

“We chose to rebuild the existing house following its original footprint, but raised the roofline to create a more comfortable second floor. We then added a new volume—an open-plan living and dining area—that connects directly to the kitchen and is elevated on piers, providing a covered garage underneath.”

The interplay between old and new is expressed through materiality: the stone foundation is left exposed, the original house is clad in standing-seam metal roofing, and the new volume is wrapped in wood siding. Large sliding doors open onto a wraparound porch, offering sweeping views of the wooded property.

Because only a portion of the original structure remained, the team had the freedom to redefine window openings in the older volume—introducing more light, framing views, and creating visual coherence between the new and existing wings. The completed home includes a primary bedroom, a guest bedroom, two bathrooms, two flexible home offices, and a kitchen that flows into the living and dining spaces.

The main living space is illuminated by soft, diffuse light from the skylight above the stairwell. From there, a small loft is visible—the cat’s favorite sunbathing spot, say the owners.

The white-painted walls of the skylight shaft provide a clean backdrop for the clients’ colorful furniture and art. The bathrooms extend this balance of gallery-white surfaces and playful touches: a custom zellige-tiled basin and terrazzo flooring in the main bath, and a concrete basin with patterned flooring in the guest bath.

In the kitchen, a bold U-shaped countertop in graphic lilac marble is paired with cabinetry in creamy tones and deep teal. Throughout the home, white oak flooring adds warmth and creates a continuous connection with the surrounding forest landscape.

To heat and cool the house, heat pumps are used in combination with a ductless ERV Lunos system, which ensures a constant flow of fresh air. This system is ideal for retrofit projects like this one, where structural limitations leave little space for ductwork. The fans operate in tandem—exhausting stale air on one side of the house while supplying fresh, filtered, pre-conditioned air on the other.

Project: Skylight House.
Architecture: DEMO Architects.
Construction: Seamus Build.
Photography: Matt Dutile.
Styling: Astrid Chastka.
Text: Alessandro Ronfini

Alessandro Ronfini

Born and raised in Italy, Alessandro Ronfini earned his Master’s in Architecture from IUAV University of Venice, specializing in Construction Technology.

After graduation, he moved to Copenhagen, where he first worked at 3XN, contributing to design competitions across Europe and the Middle East. He then joined BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group, as part of the team that designed VIA W57, a landmark residential project on Manhattan’s West Side.

While overseeing the construction of VIA W57, Alessandro joined Enclos, a firm specializing in custom façade systems. There, he contributed to several large-scale projects including the Chase Center in San Francisco, 220 Central Park South, and the Las Vegas Raiders Stadium.

With over a decade of experience in both design and construction, Alessandro partnered with Daniel Kidd to found DEMO Architects, with the goal of uniting his passion for architecture and technology—designing homes that are beautiful, energy-efficient, and built to last.

Alessandro is a licensed architect in both New York State and Italy, as well as a Certified Passive House Designer. He has taught Design and Building Technology at USC School of Architecture and CUNY’s CityTech, and is an active member of the Passive House community. He has lectured on sustainable building practices across the United States.

Project by Alessandro Ronfini. Demo Architects