 |
|
 |
||||||
|
||||||
Urban houses, particularly in cities as dense as San Francisco, often have little or no garden space, and instead take advantage of dramatic views as a means of connecting a dwelling to the surrounding environment. While the rather unusual siting of this house on a very small lot did not offer distant views of the city or bay, it instead afforded the possibility of altering the house and site to provide for the experience of gardens on three sides of this historic house. While budget and planning code constraints prohibited the expansion of the exterior envelope of the building, the interior and perimeter walls of the house were significantly modified so that this rather small house could be made larger- opening graciously to gardens from living spaces and peeking intimately into gardens from bedrooms and more private rooms. Each space in the house was transformed so that it had an immediate view or access to a garden, as well as a layered view through an adjacent space to another garden beyond. This spatial configuration makes the gardens an intrinsic part of the experience of the interior of the house, giving it an open, serene and comfortable feeling. The luxury of indoor-outdoor living in three warm, protected and comfortable outdoor rooms is possible much of the year- a rarity in San Francisco. To expand the habitable space, the basement was developed as a master suite with a double-height study connected to the main floor. Adjacent to the new master suite, a concrete light well was transformed into a bamboo garden, improving privacy between neighbors while filling this communal shaft with a calming Zen. At the main floor, the layering of threshold spaces (colored in green on the plan) allows for an open, flowing plan with spatial distinction for various functions and the possibility of privacy for bedrooms immediately adjacent to living spaces. It is in these threshold spaces that the details of the house flourish- stained, wheat board paneling, Walnut slats and built-ins, pigmented plaster, concrete sills, and steel and polycarbonate rolling doors. In this way, narrow threshold spaces are spatially amplified to not only provide for the passage between spaces but to shape the design parti. This layering gives the home a sculptural internal quality and a layered experience of the intimate gardens beyond. The material and color palette and simple but intricate detailing give the interior and exterior a warm, relaxed, and textured materiality. The greens, browns, blues and purples of the garden are repeated in the colors and materials of the interior creating a continuous and harmonious environment. Materials, colors and textures are used to navigate one through the spaces of the house are sustainable, formaldehyde free or very low VOC. TOP |
