Parcel maps show that an auxiliary structure of the main house had existed at this location in the early 1900’s, a factor that helped support the argument for this new development.

Primarily, an open plan with minimal walls and screens provides maximum room size and space utility.  Additionally, expression of volume, structure and light define the spaces.  Finally, an arts-and-crafts design aesthetic in finish materials and textures imbue the interior architecture with richness and beauty.         The ground floor plan is a two-car garage with shop space occupying 727 square feet.  Mechanical FAU and ductwork run through the floor structure to heat and cool the living space above. The second floor plan is a large open studio space including living room, kitchen, bath, and utility room, overlooked by two lofts connected by a bridge.  This plan occupies 852 square feet with an additional 90 square feet in each loft.  The lofts, open to living space below, function as home office (north side) and reading space/ guest sleeping space (south side).  The sleeping loft stacks above the main sleeping space below for mutual privacy.  A 300 square foot deck extends the living space out into the garden and is itself a frequently used comfortable outdoor living room.  Strategically placed deciduous trees provide much needed shade in this hot climate as well as desired privacy from the neighbors.  A comfortable U-shaped stair connects deck to grade.           The house feels much larger than its 852 square feet due to the open plan configuration and because it is tall and well day-lit.  The verticality of the space is accentuated by the sculptural spiral stair, which leads the eye upward to the cupola at its apex.   The cupola contains operable windows and a reciprocating fan to promote passive cooling and pull natural light throughout the day into the interior of the space.  Walls and ceiling planes are painted brilliant white to maximize the effectiveness of this great central daylight monitor.  As a result, artificial lighting is not needed during the day.      The floor plan wall elements divide, define and enhance without reducing the whole.  For example, a single 7’-6” square lightweight shoji screen suspended between beam, floor, post and wall defines the sleeping zone from the living area as a translucent decorative vertical plane.  The solid wall separating the bathroom from the kitchen is set at an angle normal to the entry.

This gesture promotes better circulation and ease of use in the kitchen while providing more privacy and space utility for the bathroom itself.  The wall creates an interesting dynamic in the interior architecture as a single angled plane in an otherwise orthogonal composition.  The effect is accentuated by a detail at the wall-wall junction and at the wall-ceiling junction that disengages the angled plane from the orthogonal wall and ceiling.  The angled plane is painted a light sage for further differentiation.          The details of construction reveal an arts-and-crafts aesthetic in their execution in that utility is achieved artfully.  Wood is celebrated in the design as it is expressed structurally in the posts, beams, joists, and finish materials.  For example, the catwalk bridge spans the space underneath the cupola connecting one loft to the other.  Its deck construction provides for maximum light penetration through the bridge.  This practical measure results in a rich texture that further enhances the space.  Wood is employed as decorative pattern in the intricate loft railing and deck railing.  Wood is further used in the doors, windows, and shoji screen frames.  Finally, the cabinets and tables are made with complimentary combinations of woods, the finish a natural tung oil to preserve and express the inherent beauty of the material.  The floor is bamboo, a natural, light, richly grained and sound   sustainable resource.  The great amount of wood expressed in the design, set in contrast to the planar geometry of the walls creates a rare visual richness that is warm and uplifting.