Tag: interior architecture

Miter House on Kansas Street

As you approach this home, the façade that appears to be solid is revealed as a series of layers.  A combed stone outer cladding gives way to a smooth plaster layer that, in turn, sits atop a shear layer of windows and taught corner glass.  This is a representation of our clients: private people who become familiar over time. 

Update: Miter House has been nominated for ArchDaily’s Building of the Year Contest! VOTE now through February 15, 2023 to help get this project to the final round.

The space of the home is similar. A slow reveal is based on an up-and-over movement across the site, and there’s an idea of two structures, front and back. Entering on the ground level, you ascend two broad steps to a central platform. 

This “space between” houses the central stair. 

The stair accesses a reverse plan: entry and gymnasium below, bedrooms between, living spaces atop. It’s capped by a roof deck. Materials define interior spaces.  Maple slats and brass clad walls work together to define the central space, filter and reflect light, an experiential relationship that, like the façade, reveals itself through time.   Each side of the structure has its own character and its own view, the front facing east defined by morning light and downtown views through mitered corner windows. The back faces west, the sunset and Twin Peaks viewed through operable glass walls that expand the floor area for indoor-outdoor functions.   Two houses joined by a central spine and revealing themselves through time.

We successfully navigated this project through San Francisco city planning and a rigorous design review process.

“Ross and his team did a fabulous job on both the architecture and design touches for our new home in SF.  Ross listened deeply to our goals for the project, but offered his expert eye and judgment to create something far better than if he’d simply done exactly as asked.  We’re thrilled with the results and frequently see passers by stopping to admire his work.  Unusual for a talented architect, Ross has a deep understanding of and respect for the craft of building—that knowledge was invaluable for many key decisions we faced. When a materials price spike made a highly visible staircase cost-prohibitive, Ross came up with a creative solution we love!  Equally important, he orchestrated that oh so vital “dance” among planning department, neighbors, and contractor. We loved LAA’s vision and aesthetic, but none of it means a thing if you can’t get it built. Ross’s ability to bring all the parties along was critical to the success of the project.   We choose LAA for their architectural and design talent, but we did not realize just how critical all these other skills are to getting what you really want—a home you love.”

Architect: Ross Levy⁠ (Levy Art + Architecture)⁠
Project Team: Michael Ageno, Patrick Donato⁠, Shirin Monshipouri (Levy Art + Architecture)⁠
Interior Architect / Designer: Frances Weiss⁠ (Levy Art + Architecture)⁠
Contractor: Colm Brennan at Stronghold Construction
Structural Engineer: Daedalus Engineering
Photographer: Joe Fletcher

Sq ft: 3,707
Completed: 2020
All-new construction
Architecture + interior architecture by Levy Art + Architecture

Queen of Bolinas

A beachside getaway for a repeat client – an SF family of four – Queen is an impressive clifftop home in Bolinas, CA overlooking the ocean and the Duxberry Reef Tide Pools.

We worked with this client previously on their primary home in San Francisco. They approached us after purchasing this property and asked us to review it. They were originally contemplating simple upgrades, but we created a larger vision together – navigating design, permissions, and coordinating throughout construction.

This project is about connections. The original structure consisted of two separate, elevated masses, a small house and adjacent decks. We stitched these two disparate pieces together, inside and out, to create a singular expression in exterior form and flowing interior spaces. The central element that binds the two sides together is a three-story glass wall. It connects the two buildings at the hinge point, creating a clear point of entry. The multi-paned composition is made of different colors and textures in reference to the beachfront location and the sea glass found there.

Entering this double height space, an open stairwell signals that the main living spaces are on the top floor. Here, the panoramic view of the coastline from San Francisco to the Farallon islands is unimpeded. As with the exterior, we brought the two sides of the house together to create a single, open living environment that combines kitchen, living and dining. A deck that runs the length of the house completes the side-to-side connection, and a new stair brings you from the upper deck to the lower deck with integrated hot tub. From there, you walk down directly to the bluff outside, connecting the living spaces to the landscape.

On the middle level there are two bedrooms and a bath. A gracious primary suite has a bank of windows that looks out to sea. The primary bath includes book-matched granite panels in the shower, and double sinks in driftwood-themed cabinetry. This is complemented by the children’s bunk room with skylit bath, laundry and views to the western sunset.

Sustainable features for this remote location include, first and foremost, passive solar collection through the extensive south-facing glazing. Solar panels and battery storage provide for active electrical generation. Remote access for systems allows continuous monitoring and energy management from a distance. There is a backup propane-fired system for supplemental heat.

Our client’s goal was to create a gracious family retreat that celebrates the natural setting of Bolinas and to provide spaces for gathering with friends. They are thrilled with the result, which is far beyond what they had imagined was possible.

Principal Architect: Ross Levy, Levy Art + Architecture
Architectural / Interior Designer: Karen Andersen, Levy Art + Architecture
Structural Engineer: Bruce King
General Contractor: Kasten Builders
Landscape Designer: Shirley Watts 
Photographer: Mikiko Kikuyama Photography

Square footage: 1500 sq ft
Location: Bolinas, CA

Above the Dune on Great Highway

How an Architecture Studio Created a Lifestyle for a Working Professional and Dedicated Surfer

Architect: Ross Levy⁠ (Levy Art + Architecture)⁠
Project Team: Melissa Todd, Patrick Donato⁠ (Levy Art + Architecture)⁠
Interior Architect / Designer: Frances Weiss⁠ (Levy Art + Architecture)⁠
Contractor: Blair Burke (BBGC)⁠
Entitlements: Jeremy Paul (Quickdraw)
Stair Fabricator: Luke Gosellin
Structural Engineer: FTF⁠ Engineering⁠
Photographer: Joe Fletcher

If you’ve ever surfed, you know that you need to watch the water. The swells tell a surfer when it’s time to surf, not the other way around. For the committed, this means that living at the beach isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessity.

That’s why this project happened: our surf-focused client knew he had to make the big move — all the way across San Francisco, from Bernal Heights to Ocean Beach (a solid twenty-minute drive), so that he could keep an eye on the ever-changing swell. Stretching above the sand dune, the expanded third floor living space and roof deck afford him and his family the ultimate lookout.

Lifeguard Tower 25. The location was perfect, but the house was old. It was water-damaged and strangely organized. A third floor had been “dropped” on top of the original San Francisco “Marina Style” two-story, leaving a large cavity between. It was space to work with, just like a wave that appears on the horizon.

Working from top to bottom, we revealed vertical spaces that make the house feel and live much larger than its actual 2350 sq ft footprint. We set the entry on the split level, up from the street, to resist sand and wind and to heighten that experience even more. Ascending that half a flight on a wide stair, you’re drawn through the middle level on a cable suspended stair to the top, the lookout.

Here we added minimally, 150 square feet, almost all glass, and a new deck directly in front for the best vantage up and down the beach. New living space is under a 10-foot ceiling with natural light from 4 sides via clerestories. They define the rooms, and even the light-reducing ocean glare. A small sitting area and the kitchen at the back are cozy, under the original ceilings. Finally, we suspended a deck off the back wall to support a ladder to the roof to service the solar panels and to get a bigger view, make a better call on the waves.

The interiors (by Melissa Todd and Frances Weiss) are beach-y but contemporary. We added an organic and textural layer of materials including warm-toned wood and a mix of Cle, Fireclay, and Heath tiles in earth and water colors to ground the space in its natural environment. The effect is restrained yet welcoming, simultaneously curated and laid back.

Our client couldn’t be happier, and he’s converted his family into devoted beach goers. During the time of the Covid quarantine that has been a most welcome addition for all.

And the surf’s been good this year, too.

This project was featured in Dwell in July 2021 — check out the before & after comparisons here.

Based in San Francisco, California, Levy Art & Architecture specializes in commercial and residential projects, with the goal of creating an innovative architectural design consistent with the client’s vision. A team of professionals with extensive experience and multi-disciplinary backgrounds handles a wide range of projects of every scale. Want to find out how we can turn your vision into a custom-built project? Contact us and let’s chat.