The existing 1950’s home backs into a hillside, surrounded by majestic redwoods with the distinctive volume of the main level cantilevering over a small garage below. The addition respects the original architecture by matching the scale and tectonic expression of the new volume to its neighbor, with matching roof lines, window rhythms and cantilever.

The natural context, with its crisp air and visually engaging topography lends itself to interior configurations that open to the outside while still maintaining a sense of cozy intimacy. The project went through a number of iterations, finally settling into a multiple bedroom addition whose irregular polygonal footprint fit snugly into a constrained area flanked by steep topography, minimizing grading work while providing equitable, airy living arrangements for the pair of teenage twins taking up residence in the space. A new entry hall, located at the original main access point to the rear yard, manifests the parti, blurring the transition between indoors and outdoors.

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