The original approximately 1800sf one-story house on this lot in Sausalito, CA was a non-descript flat roofed tract home with carport and a vaguely “mid-century modern” vibe. Starting from this visual reference, the house is enlarged and re-imagined as a modern home with a palette of rectangular fiber cement panels and twin wall polycarbonate which accentuate its strong horizontal lines and embolden its architecture. 

The carport was infilled to enlarge the living space, and a new single car garage was constructed in the front yard. The polycarbonate garage walls create a glowing lantern that welcomes visitors through the gate of the forecourt and to the front door.   

The interior is an open living plan that extends through the kitchen to the enclosed rear yard entertainment area. A climate-controlled wine room is the focus of the bright clean interior. Three generous bedrooms align on the northeastern edge. 

Simple design gestures and a spare materials palette focus on entry and procession through space from street to rear yard. The house is transformed from a closed box to a interior moment in the fluid movement between outdoors and indoors that is possible in California’s mild climate. 

In every house, even the most banal and anonymous, there can be found an essence, a core concept, that can be discovered, revealed, and exploited when awoken by a new client with fresh perspective and fresh priorities. Through the renovation process, the house is reborn and finds new purpose. It gains sentience from its new owners, and they are sheltered and nurtured by its quiet presence.