SF dilemma gets a Southern solution

“The side-yard orientation makes the most of a tight urban lot. It’s innovative and neighborly at the same time.”
– jury comment

MERIT AWARD, Turnbull Griffin Haesloop, Berkeley
Narrow lots in established neighborhoods present challenging design problems. Here, the dilemma was how to take full advantage of a side yard while complementing the San Francisco streetscape.

Inspired by early Charleston, South Carolina, houses with narrow ends facing the street and wide porches along the side, the architect oriented the new house to the side yard: A two-story wall of windows opens to a porch running the length of the building. From the street, the garden remains partially visible.

The façade is like a double curtain wall – one layer made of glass and another of posts, beams, and a shed overhang. A decorative wood railing screens sun and provides privacy. Inside, the rooms are organized in a barbell scheme, with the light-filled gallery linking front and rear.

ARCHITECT: (510) 841-9000