2011 MARIN LIVING: HOME TOURS PARTICIPATING ARCHITECTS

Matthew Millman

Aidlin Darling Design | Courtyard Residence
Conceived as a series of interconnected pavilions enclosing a garden, the courtyard-house typology is utilized to achieve private interiority within the suburban context. The strategic interplay of light and shadow, expansion and contraction, solidity and lightness is used to derive spatial richness. The house incorporates fuel cell and solar panel technologies, passive cooling, greywater reclamation, and extensive use of reclaimed finish materials.

Jeffrey Katz

Bull Stockwell Allen Architects | Kellogg Residence
Originally designed in 1966 for a professional couple, the house is described as ”more than ever a shoebox with all the rooms lined up in a row. The box is visually broken wide open by a skylight (18" wide by 108 feet long) that goes down the middle of the gable, bringing daylight to every part of the space. The details around the glass slot hark back to precedents from Frank Lloyd Wright and from the first decade of this century and to the Japanese." It’s a blend of technical experimentation and handcraft. The repeat of the long, narrow skylight and redwood paneling in the carport to match the exterior siding of the house responds to the original clients’ desire to begin their entry experience with arrival by car. A product of its time, updates to the current Kellogg Residence complement the original design. This project also includes a 1990 remodel of the kitchen and installation of a copper roof by architect Kathleen Honan Strauss.

Marion Brenner

Fischer Architecture | Graham Residence
The renovation of the 1940’s ranch house resulted in the creation of a nearly entirely new house. The floor plan design was informed by the footprint of the existing house, but the layout is entirely new. Its massing is a series of minimal boxes linked with glass enclosed rooms, which house the main entry and the living and dining rooms. The house sits among an oak grove, two natural streams, and a wealth of mature landscaping. Room orientation and window locations are keyed to specific existing landscape features accordingly, and the south-facing deck steps down from the house to allow for an unobstructed view to the hillside gardens. Interior walls were designed to display the Grahams’ extensive art collection, and in general the spaces are tuned toward maximizing natural light. The materials palette is simple and refined, with colors and textures drawn from the site. This project was completed in collaboration with Regan Bice Architects.

Cesar Rubio

Nick Noyes Architecture | Tiburon Residence
Perched on a south-facing slope overlooking Belvedere lagoon and the San Francisco Bay, this 4,000 sf residence was designed to utilize the foundations of an existing house. The house consists of two bars connected by a glazed transparent zone containing the kitchen and dining spaces. This glazed space is the link between the protected and serene entry/pool garden to the north and a terrace and expansive views to the south. The master suite occupies the second floor and captures significant views of Mt. Tamalpais to the northwest. Crisp detailing defines a simple interior palette of polished stone flooring, anegre wood, painted wood and gypsum board, and exterior finishes are limited to cement plaster, stained cedar, stainless steel and anodized aluminum windows and doors. Drama, clarity, and a garden designed by the architects combine to achieve a sense of appropriateness and indoor/outdoor livability in this modern hillside home.

David Wakely

Turnbull Griffin Haesloop Architects | Hillside Residence
The house is sited to engage the undulating hillside and capture the spectacular views of Mount Tamalpais and the San Francisco Bay. A curved retaining wall follows the contours of the hillside and anchors the house to the steep site. The house is tucked under the living roof, which visually merges the house with the land. Growing out of the hillside, the roof is carved away to form a protected courtyard for the pool. Three volumes housing the living room, kitchen-dining area, and master bedroom rise up above the living roof with shed roofs angled to capture the sun for photovoltaic and solar hot water panels. The house incorporates passive and active heating and cooling systems, battery storage, and a cistern for water runoff management.

The Marin Living: Home Tours is an extension of AIA San Francisco’s Architecture and the City festival, which celebrates architecture and design each September. For an outline of ongoing programming and to learn how to get involved please visit: www.aiasf.org/archandcity for more information.