What started out as one of a large development of 1940's concrete block bungalows, has now become a light filled and airy modern showplace.



The original house, a warren of tiny rooms after many poor renovations, found the spark for a new life in what proved to be a fortuitous fire.



Rather than rebuilding the house back to its less than adequate original spatial relationships, the clients chose to strip the house back to the bare bones of its existing concrete block walls and rework it into something more open and suited to their informal lifestyle.



The complex hipped roof and low ceilings were pulled off, and in their place a low sloped gable roof composed of SIPs was inserted, allowing for large expanses of clerestory windows above the original concrete block walls. What was originally a carport/garage was re-built as a small secondary bedroom and a utility/pantry room.



The kitchen was rearranged to become a more adequate size, and a cantileverd picture window bay was inserted to provide additional counter space.



Finally three small rooms were combined to form a large living/dining/entry space with an expansive wall of floor to ceiling glass opening up to a protected deck space and the rest of the large backyard.





Light grey stucco, paint-grip standing seam metal, and galvalum corrugated siding complete the exterior composition and play nicely off the existing pink sandstone of the original entry. The shocking green front door somehow manages to tie the whole ensemble together.