The addition and renovation project on the Belvedere lagoon provides an example of a project that dramatically alters the aesthetic and functional character of a home, without requiring a complete demolition. The work is defined by three strata, which derive from a response to what was workable and what was objectionable in the home; the updating of the bedrooms, the major renovation of the formal rooms, and the demolition and reconstruction of the entry and family room. The beauty of the façade is that these strata are defined by such elements as the masonry datum wall. This wall defines new and old, public and private, and defines a visual ongoing parti focused on emphasizing the entrance as an invitation to the home, which opens to the California ideal of blurring the definition of interior to exterior space, through a wide opening to a sheltered exterior space looking onto the private recreation area of the lagoon. In contrast to this view, the formal rooms have a framed view of the Bay and Mount Tamalpais to the west. Through the use of a rich palette of materials, the contemporary plan of the house is softened and creates a more relaxed atmosphere.

General Contractor – Cesar Lopez

Photographer – www.cesarrubio.com