FREMONT RESIDENCE
A new 3,200 SF home overlooking a nature preserve and the San Francisco Bay in the distance rises on a family’s long held but undeveloped property.
This property had been in our client’s family for generations and was relatively untouched - an aging barn the only mark of its long abandoned agricultural past. Prior to contacting the office the family decided to sell the 7.6-acre parcel to a large home developer. A 33-unit residential subdivision was designed, approved and in construction during our first site visit. As a condition of the sale our client retained ownership of a large corner parcel with a view of the bay and a nearby open space. We were asked to design a home that would privilege the view while mitigating the density and character of the neighboring development. The solution was a single-story L-shaped plan with ‘private’ rooms pushed to the edges to protect a large ‘public’ living area nestled in the center. Strip windows along the street are kept high to allow light into the more private rooms while maintaining privacy. A very long clerestory formed by a break in the roof planes on the street elevation floods the living area with natural light. The master bedroom occupies a privileged corner connecting to the open space while the living area has a commanding view to the bay. Four 11’ tall sliding glass doors open the living area completely to the tightly knit rear yard that incorporates a large spa, planting beds, an outdoor kitchen and a dining area. As an homage to the family’s heritage on the site the repurposed clear heart redwood siding panels taken from the demolished barn are used to accent specific exterior forms.
FREMONT RESIDENCE
A new 3,200 SF home overlooking a nature preserve and the San Francisco Bay in the distance rises on a family’s long held but undeveloped property.
This property had been in our client’s family for generations and was relatively untouched - an aging barn the only mark of its long abandoned agricultural past. Prior to contacting the office the family decided to sell the 7.6-acre parcel to a large home developer. A 33-unit residential subdivision was designed, approved and in construction during our first site visit. As a condition of the sale our client retained ownership of a large corner parcel with a view of the bay and a nearby open space. We were asked to design a home that would privilege the view while mitigating the density and character of the neighboring development. The solution was a single-story L-shaped plan with ‘private’ rooms pushed to the edges to protect a large ‘public’ living area nestled in the center. Strip windows along the street are kept high to allow light into the more private rooms while maintaining privacy. A very long clerestory formed by a break in the roof planes on the street elevation floods the living area with natural light. The master bedroom occupies a privileged corner connecting to the open space while the living area has a commanding view to the bay. Four 11’ tall sliding glass doors open the living area completely to the tightly knit rear yard that incorporates a large spa, planting beds, an outdoor kitchen and a dining area. As an homage to the family’s heritage on the site the repurposed clear heart redwood siding panels taken from the demolished barn are used to accent specific exterior forms.