Conversion of a small studio apartment into an expanded 1100
square foot one bedroom unit that would also take advantage of a rooftop view
of downtown San Francisco. The unit is located in the former attic space of an
1888 Queen Ann single-family residence originally designed by Peter R. Schmidt
and later divided into nine apartments.
Concept:
A new horizontal addition at the rear of the building
increased the floor area, but due to planning codes could not be at the same
floor height of the existing third floor of original apartment. Once the
existing ceiling was removed from the original unit, the gable roof form provided
a double height volume. This created the opportunity for a series of trayed
spaces, open to one another and that step up within the apartment volume to
take advantage of city views but still provide a degree of privacy and
separation. The sloping gable roofs define and enclose both ceilings and walls
in most of the spaces. The resulting design is at once open and connected, but
discrete and cozy.
Internal Organization:
The apartment is organized around four distinct floor levels
with each taking advantage of discrete city views. A central circulation path connects
the lower living room level to the upper dining room level and then returns
upon itself via a stair to the top loft level.The loft floor is tucked beneath the upper most portions of
the gable roof form and on top of an enclosed cube that contains the bath and
laundry. This cube of services provides privacy to the bedroom, which sits
behind and within a separate lower gabled roof area.
