When the owners of the Upper East Side townhouse, designed by Ogawa/Depardon Architects, relocated to San Francisco they demonstrated their continued dedication to the firm by hiring them to rebuild the new residence from the foundation up. Located on the cliffs of the San Francisco shoreline, the architects radically transformed the structure to a... read more

When the owners of the Upper East Side townhouse, designed by Ogawa/Depardon Architects, relocated to San Francisco they demonstrated their continued dedication to the firm by hiring them to rebuild the new residence from the foundation up. Located on the cliffs of the San Francisco shoreline, the architects radically transformed the structure to accommodate a seismic upgrade. The dramatic redesign of this modern house took full advantage of the home’s breathtaking views. The original house worked against the spectacular site. “With its massive over-scaled roof and heavy timber detailing, reminiscent of Polynesian architecture, the house dominated the site, without taking advantage of the incredible view. The interior was broken up into a small room spread over eight different floor levels, linked by a confined circulation space that was not intuitive”. Stripping away those 1960s and ‘70s design influences and introducing a light and airy interior were crucial to the refurbishment. So too, was the creation of a modern, simple aesthetic. collapse