Ryan Leidner Architecture thoughtfully renovates a bygone California house into a modern home that is intrinsically connected to its surrounding landscape by incorporating lush greenery into the interior spaces. Imbued with a tangible sense of transparency, Twin Gable House proposes a more outward, open way of living.
Located in Sunnyvale, a suburban neighbourhood 45 minutes south of San Francisco, Twin Gable House sits within a streetscape dominated by single-level, Eichler family homes. The renovation aspired to rejuvenate the midcentury modern-style California house by injecting high design into its somewhat simple, suburban façade. While most Eichler homes boast flat ceilings, this house benefited from having a twin-gable shape that brings height and openness, undoubtedly setting the tone for the design and direction of the renovation.
There is an immediate sense of the outdoors existing within the California house - upon entering through the front door into the atrium space, one is met with an interior garden. Rejecting the idea that homes are a place to be lived inwardly, the outdoor connection continues throughout the home. The California house is enveloped in a lush garden, incorporating the landscape into every interior space.
In this sense, one of the key features of the California house is the garden. The clients wanted to feel like there was lush greenery constantly surrounding them, as if the home is sitting within a garden whilst feeling somewhat detached from the sidewalk. To achieve this, Stephens Design Studio used sliding plains of concrete bands that have plants surrounding them so they appear disguised within the landscape. The organisation of the plantings is very loose, and whilst there is a lot of rhythm and repetition, there is also a little bit of chaos in the way the plants interact.
Light filters throughout, creating an even deeper connection to the outdoors. The California house welcomes light at every possibility, and the play of light throughout the day means the house always feels dynamic. The sun enters and shifts during the day as it filters through branches and bounces off white walls and white-panelled high ceilings.
Twin Gable House innovatively blurs the line between the indoors and the outdoors. The subsequent feeling of transparency means the space is dynamic yet robust, warm yet modern - providing a palpable sense of freedom and vitality to the family living there.
00:00 - Introduction to the California House
00:23 - Renovation of an Eichler Home
00:54 - A Walkthrough of the Home
01:11 - Magical Moments
01:32 - Light Play and Dynanism
01:53 - Feeling Enveloped in the Garden
02:37 - Leaning into the Indoor-Outdoor Connection
03:02 - Working on the Landscape
03:30 - Focusing on A Specific Level of Transparency
04:15 - Rewarding and Proud Moments
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Photography by Joe Fletcher.
Architecture by Ryan Leidner Architecture.
Landscape Design by Stephens Design Studio .
Filmed and Edited by Cheer Squad Film Co.
Production by The Local Project.
The Local Project acknowledges the traditional territories and homelands of the Indigenous peoples in the United States. We recognise the importance of Indigenous peoples in the identity of our respective countries and continuing connections to Country and community. We pay our respect to Elders, past and present and extend that respect to all Indigenous people of these lands.
#California #House #Architecture
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