Extension | 02
san mateo, california
framestudio
1912 + 2019
Oakland | Sonoma County
Framestudio believes that additions and extensions to historic homes should simultaneously make reference to the original home while clearly contrasting the old with the new. While many municipalities’ planning departments applaud this approach, some insist that all new additions be completed in a pastiche of the original home’s style.
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Our clients approached us to design a second story addition in a deliberately contrasting modern aesthetic to their 1912 Bungalow. San Mato’s planning guidelines are strict, with even rear facades needing to align with the historical character of the neighborhood’s other architecture. Second story additions would be visible from the street, but our team was up for the challenge.
Our solution was twofold:
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Add square footage to the home by extending the roof ridge towards the rear garden.
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​Lower the main floor level inside the house, making room for a second story master suite.
The master bedroom is expressed internally as a volume that hovers over the sunken living/dining area and extends past the glass doors, cantilevering off the rear of the home. Indoor/outdoor flooring on the ground level further blurs the lines between inside and out. The centrally located kitchen is bathed in natural light from overhead skylights, while a home office mezzanine keeps watch from above, giving the clients a multilevel, modern home that fits their specific lifestyle.
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Framestudio received planning approval in mid-2019, with construction beginning soon after.
project details