ALTHOUGH THIS PROJECT WAS TECHNICALLY AN ADDITION, THE EXISTING FOUNDATION SERVED ONLY AS A GUIDELINE FOR A NEW DESIGN. THE ACCESS TO THIS SITE IS FROM A NARROW DRIVEWAY OFF A PRINCIPAL STREET THAT SERVES 5 OTHER RESIDENCES. THERE WAS NO OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND EXCEPT IN THE REAR, DOWNHILL DIRECTION, WHERE THE NEW ADDITION INCLUDES A SERIES OF DESCENDING DECKS AND LANDSCAPED TERRACES TO PROVIDE LEVEL OUTDOOR LIVING SPACE.
ALTHOUGH THE ORIGINAL HOUSE WAS SINGLE STORY, THE ADDITION INCLUDED AN EXTENSION OF THE KITCHEN AND LIVING AREAS AT THE LOWER LEVEL AND A SECOND STORY THAT INCLUDED FOUR BEDROOMS AND TWO BATHROOMS. ABOVE THE NEW LIVING AREA, A TERRACE WAS INCORPORATED TO SERVE THE NEW MASTER BEDROOM. A SECOND STAIRWAY PROVIDED DIRECT ACCESS FROM THE CHILDREN’S BEDROOMS TO THE KITCHEN AND DINING ROOMS BELOW.
AS PART OF THE NEW LIVING AREA, AN EXISTING FIREPLACE FOUNDATION WAS UTILIZED FOR A NEW FIREPLACE OPEN ON FOUR SIDES AND SHEATHED IN GRANITE AND MARBLE. THE FIREPLACE DEFINES ALL THE SPACE IN THE LOWER LEVEL. IT OPENS ON ONE SIDE TO THE KITCHEN AND BREAKFAST AREA, ON ANOTHER SIDE TO THE LIVING ROOM, ON THE THIRD SIDE TO THE DINING ROOM AND ON THE FOURTH SIDE TO A READING AREA.
THE TALL OPENING OF THE FIREPLACE ALLOWS A VISUAL CONNECTION TO THE TALL AREAS AND CREATES A SPACE WITHIN A SPACE AROUND WHICH THE VARIOUS FUNCTIONS ARE PLACED. UPSTAIRS, LIGHT FROM TWO SKYLIGHTS IS BROUGHT INTO ALL THE BEDROOMS THROUGH THE USE OF TRANSLUCENT GLASS IN THE DOORS AND TRANSPARENT GLASS IN THE TRANSOM ABOVE THE DOORS. THUS, EACH ROOM CAN PULL NATURAL LIGHT FROM A SKYLIGHT THAT IS NOT DIRECTLY IN THE ROOM. TO PROVIDE ENTRY PRIVACY OFF THE NARROW ACCESS DRIVEWAY, AN EXTERIOR WALL WAS EXTENDED AND WRAPPED AROUND THE ENTRY, A SMALL FOUNDATION AND LANDSCAPING- WHICH ARE ALL SCREENED FROM VIEW.