Buck Goulder Residence
Montclair — Goulder Buck Residence
Set within the historic residential fabric of Montclair, the Goulder Buck Residence was among the most traditional commissions of this series of suburban homes. The house itself was a dignified brick American colonial with Georgian overtones: symmetrical in composition, organized around a central hall, and composed across two principal floors with an attic above. Its architectural language was already well established, and the challenge was not reinvention, but extension—adding meaningful living space while preserving the home's classical balance and character.
The project focused on transforming the attic into a full third floor, creating a new level of inhabitable space integrated within the existing roof structure. To accomplish this, carefully proportioned dormers were introduced along the front elevation, maintaining the rhythm and scale of the original façade. At the rear, a larger dormer opened the new floor to light, views, and access to a private deck overlooking the property. What might have been a utilitarian expansion instead became a natural continuation of the house, allowing the upper level to feel as though it had always belonged to the original composition.
While the exterior details remained firmly rooted in traditional precedent, the planning of the interiors reflected a quieter contemporary sensibility—clear circulation, functional organization, and spaces shaped for modern family life. In that sense, the Goulder Buck Residence balanced heritage with practicality: respectful to the past in form and detail, yet subtly updated in the way it was lived. The result was a seamless enlargement of a classic Montclair home, where continuity rather than contrast became the defining architectural gesture.
