Channeling the spirit of this mid-century modern home’s original designer, the late Joseph Esherick, daylight was a primary objective for this comprehensive contemporary transformation. Situated amongst much larger homes in the Pacific Heights district of San Francisco, this project adapts the original design to reconnect its interior to the sky and to the landscape in a dense urban context. The shell of the existing historic structure was left intact with the exception of the rear façade, which is opened up to the landscape and views.

 

Central to the new design is a large multi-storied interior garden atrium that is intended to capture outdoor space within the home’s interior. This vastly sky-lit space serves as a spatial hub, pulling daylight deep into the homes interior. A sculpted, reclaimed wood wall helps filter light as it penetrates adjacent spaces. Large glass walls are also used to refract light into these spaces. During the day, the home is virtually entirely lit with natural light.

 

The dialogue between earth and sky is reinforced through the home’s material palette of concrete, wood, glass, steel and diffused light. The home’s once dark interior is completely transformed using restrained materials that are intended to reflect, refract, and sculpt light as it is captured. The juxtaposition of heavy and light is carried through to the smallest details. In addition to this atrium space, the house re-establishes its relationship to the landscape by way of its rear façade. A new lower level physically connects the home’s interior to outdoor living space and landscape. The rear façade and adjacent walls reorient both indoor and outdoor space towards the landscape and city views beyond while editing neighboring structures for mutual privacy.