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Residence
in Oakland, CA |
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A home destroyed by the
1991 firestorm was rebuilt in the Oakland Hills. The new design is a reinterpretation of the
past. A modern sense of space was combined with traditional craftsmanship to make a timely
cottage.
The house was featured in Fine
Homebuilding Magazine's 1996 annual HOUSES issue.
Plaster veneer walls, recycled
bricks and exposed roof timbers all contribute to a sense of architectural
solidity and soulful warmth.
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The freestanding fireplace, in the
living room, is reminiscent of those left standing throughout the neighborhood after the fire subsided.
Steep roofs and vertical emphasis give the cottage a noble
presence on the street while at the rear garden area, the house is cut into the existing grade to bring down the scale. |
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street front entry elevation |
rear yard elevation |
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Movement of the sun around the site was considered in
the design so that light would enter through special windows at various times of the day. Shafts of light mark the
passage time as they cross the colored concrete floor of the dining room. The
room becomes an abstract sundial.
French doors open the kitchen to a small patio
outside. The transom allows a view to the sky and lets in the afternoon breezes.
The kitchen floor is Vermont green slate.
Radiant heat warms the floors throughout the house.
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Designed in collaboration with Cass Calder Smith, Architect San Francisco,
CA |
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to
read the magazine article...
©
Taunton Press
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Integrally
colored concrete countertops and
mahogany cabinets are tucked into this plastered niche at the top of the stairs. A curved eyebrow
window peels up from the roof to let afternoon sun penetrate the upstairs hall
and bathroom.
The master bath vanity and limestone-tiled tub
are open to the bedroom to create a 'spa' feeling. The shower and toilet are in the small,
private room
beyond, behind a sandblasted glass door.
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Specialty construction,
roofs, and exposed timber framing by Randy Keller
North Bay Builders, Santa Rosa, CA |
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photos this page ©
Charles Miller, Fine Homebuilding Magazine and © Alan Geller, San
Francisco |
