One of Rissay’s larger projects, or should I say smallest, currently is a full renovation of a traditional Philadelphia Trinity home. The Trinity gets its name from simply consisting of three floors and makes reference to the Father, Son & Holy Ghost. These homes were built in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries for immigrants and are some of the smallest homes in the country, ranging from 300 feet to 432 square feet. The floors were typically 10’x10’, but the one we are working on is on the larger size at 12’x12’. True to typical form, the Trinity is located with several others in an interior courtyard. Larger Philadelphia townhomes first went up along the perimeter of the block leaving an interior courtyard, then as population skyrocketed, land became scarce, and more affordable housing was needed, the Trinities began to fill in those courtyards.
The Trinity, that Rissay is working on, is located in the south Philly’s Queen Village neighborhood. This project is all about efficiency and integration. With a floor plan so small, every inch truly matters. The home is being completely gutted minus the stairs and brick envelope. It is getting all new plumbing, insulation, electrical, windows, doors, roof, etc. We are utilizing a soy based spray foam to insulate the home where it was lacking, which could realize energy savings up to 60% greater than if traditional insulation was used. The windows are all Low E II Argon filled to try to minimize heat loss/grain through the windows. The chases are being tucked into the walls to make a much more stream line design. We are also custom making built-ins in our wood shop for the living room and bedroom to maximize as much space as possible.
As the project progresses, we’ll be sure to continually post updates, drawings, and photos. In the meantime, feel free to browse some of our previous projects at www.rissay.com.
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