Client               Confidential

Location           California, USA

Program           Residential

Area                 450 m2

Scope               Concept Design, Schematic Design

Status               Permit

The project is for the renovation and expansion of a traditional turn of the 20th century bungalow with a backyard studio addition for an industrial designer couple in Berkeley, California.

The goal is to safeguard the original geometry and character of the house while improving spatial quality and flow and enhancing the relationship of the interior to the extensive and treasured backyard.  

As the result of a multidirectional design process studying various massing and layout alternatives in detail, the tailored final concept features a permeable expansion towards the garden with a new living space on the ground floor and a new master suite on the top floor. Double story light wells create a threshold between the old and the new and unveil the inherent triangular roof geometry to the interior.

The modular backyard studio is comprised of three parts; a solid block that houses garden tools and bike storage closer to the driveway, a home office pod nestled in the backyard and a covered veranda connecting the two.

Century old wood shingles and lush backyard landscape that give the couple a sense of seclusion away from the city inspire material selection for the new construction. Vertical wood cladding emulates the existing house’s timber framing and follows the modular rhythm of the plan. A solar roof with seamless tiles is envisioned to power the entire home.

Team: Kerim Miskavi, Derya Tezel, Emre Kale, Ilkan Cemre Acar, Aysecan Ugur