Location

San Rafael, CA

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Type
Residential 

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Status

In design

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Clients

Private

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The client's brief called for a complete overhaul of their 1970's-built, ranch-style home (first photo below) in the beautiful hills of San Rafael, California, outside of San Francisco. They sought a forever-home that reorients the interiors towards the views of the valley below and Mt. Tamalpais beyond. Our goal was to completely redefine the home's experiential qualities and create something special that will be shared for generations. 

We first started by reconsidering the geometry of the home and thinking 'outside of the box' in regards to design possibilities. After many iterations, we eventually landed on a striking new feature: the butterfly roof. This space-defining roof gives a decidedly contemporary and open atmosphere to the interior spaces, while bringing in natural light and opening the home up to the incredible Marin County views. Due to it's natural geometry, the roof design allows the walls to be taller at the exterior, but retains the necessary structural wood posts locations at the middle of the home. Given the steep slope condition of the property, this was a key strategy as we followed the existing home's structural logic, and will anchor the new posts directly to the existing foundation below. Besides making for a beautiful new home, this simple design solution will reduce construction costs and simplify permitting.  

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The project is currently in-design and construction is expected to start in the Fall of 2025.

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