Susannah and Carl had successfully been buying, repairing and either selling or renting a series of places in the Mission and Noe Valley, slowly growing their projects in size and improving on their locations. They finally found the perfect site. It was a short lot but in a great location, with a classic San Francisco vernacular house on it.
Susannah makes edgy, sculptural, conceptual art. Carl facilitates collaborative product design processes. They are both wildly successful. They wanted a home that would be a great place to raise their two young children.
When I met them to discuss this house they were actively considering 6 other architects: of course, many of their friends are architects.
SCOPE
Major rehabilitation, added a story below, added to the back, regrading. Required a variance from the Planning Department for a rear yard extension.
Upper duplex
3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, laundry closet, eat-in kitchen open to living room, play room.
Lower apartment (separate access)
Guest suite, TV room facing the garden, home office, garage.
Over the previous 20 years I had designed six other projects within three blocks of this site, and this more than anything else probably moved me to the top of their list.
The short lot made it possible to justify a variance, and this allowed us to make a viable spacious, landscaped family home in an otherwise cramped lot.
We were able to make a spacious dining area by combining kitchen and dining into a single space.
Using the free space captured in the floor plan, we made made a dedicated playroom… where legos could be in constant play without being underfoot.
They didn’t need an iconic work of architecture as much as something efficient, relaxed, simple, smart, comfortable…a backdrop for their work.
We were able to export some uses, like the home office, the guest unit, media room and laundry room to the basement…and used them to make up a secondary dwelling unit.
