House on the B Line

Historic Renovation Bloomington, Indiana

TThe Henderson House, located facing the B-Line, an active pedestrian and bike trail just south of downtown Bloomington, was built in 1835 and is believed to be the oldest building in the city.  The two story, five bay brick house was quite fine when completed, but the years had not been kind. After considering options, the decision was made to renovate the front portion and replace the very sketchy shed-roof addition that had been built across the back, probably in the 1940’s.

The addition includes kitchen, living space, screened porch and utility spaces. It connects satisfyingly with the existing spaces and opens to a newly-landscaped back yard.

The addition plays with formal precedents found in Indiana’s 19th century houses, pushing them to echo, rather than emulate the originals.  Many of these houses had had shed-roofed kitchen “ells” added.  In this instance, the shed roof is drawn out in a dramatic gesture, becoming an organizing element for the smaller additive pieces of the addition. 

 Shed-roof “dormers” emerge from the roofs, holding high windows that connect interior spaces up and out in all directions, framing views of trees and sky. 

 Throughout the house, historic details have been maintained, but modernist design has been freely used where they were missing.  Thus the parlor, with its fine woodwork, mantel and cabinets, has not been altered, but the sitting room, which had been stripped of plaster and all woodwork, has been treated as a mostly-blank slate.  The stair is half and half: the handrail and treads are original, but one side has been left open with a modern guardrail because previous owners had already removed the original wall.