This is a remodel of, and 1,700 square foot addition to, a 2,600 square foot 1970s modern single-family home for a three-generation family. They wanted a second story, but rather than create something visually out of balance, the design team sought a solution for adding an upper level while maintaining the home’s single-story charm. This is achieved with one unifying element: dark-stained wood siding that serves a dual purpose as both screen and balustrade for a new, large roof deck with a view of the Arroyo. Combined with smooth white stucco, the composition of light and dark visually integrates old and new. Additionally, a pair of smaller additions to the kitchen and living room help clean up the massing of the building and modernize the home, which had years of deferred maintenance. The result is a balanced design in which the massing of a two-story volume works seamlessly with the existing low lines of the house, and in which primary living spaces are opened up for a better inside-to-outside connection.
