Located at the top of the Eastbay mountain range overlooking the city of Oakland, the site has an unobstructed view towards the southwestern bay and the Golden Gate.
One of the architecture projects dedicated to sea view houses is that of the American studio Terry & Terry Architecture which creates a villa overlooking the southwestern bay and the Golden Gate, at the request of a young family who wanted an open-plan house that embraced the bay view and a connection with the existing garden.
The structure features large red-leafed trees on the two longitudinal sides of the property, in order to channel those focused from the front garden to the rear view. The design involves wrapping the open common space in a wooden tube that connects the front garden to the viewing deck from the living space at the back.
Located near the mountain range, at about 1800 meters above sea level, the site faces an extreme climate and a large temperature gradient. The tube-shaped roof is deformed creating a large ventilation volume for the living space echoing the bands of coastal fog flowing inland, thus cooling the interior with afternoon breezes. The main living space becomes the connector of the two contrasting outdoor spaces.
Working with the existing flooring plan, the design transforms the kitchen area to open up and connect to the front garden to create an outdoor dining area. On the ground floor, a concrete bench is positioned to further define the outdoor garden space. Facing the renovated kitchen, the interior space opens up perfectly to the view, creating a spacious open area and extending the roof structure like a trellis to shield the environment from direct sunlight.
Terry & Terry Architecture
1073 Euclid Ave Berkeley, CA 94708 Stati Uniti
