The owners of this Oakland property reached out to Gunkel Architecture with a unique challenge. The site’s small existing home was poorly situated at the bottom of a hill at the rear of the lot. The homeowners were looking to replace it with a new home that captures views from the primary living space while maintaining connectivity to the rear yard below. To accomplish this, the new layout was designed to terrace down the hillside with a reverse plan. The kitchen, great room, and primary bedroom suite occupy the top floor at street level to create a street presence which the existing house lacks. An open stair connects the great room to the rec room at the lower level, which in turn expands and opens up to a rear deck and patio with steps down to the rear green. The design is warm, modern, and bright with a distinct yet subdued street frontage.
