Fitzsimons + Roman Residence

Situated in a long established neighborhood, this all new home on a very small lot faced the challenge of “fitting in” and still providing the owners with the contemporary home on a budget that they desired. Height and story limits, and bad soil dictated excavation and removal of the top layers of soil. These factors led to the solution for an underground garage and shop for the builder/craftsman. The client wanted natural light to flood the house with brightness. They also wanted multiple and alternate places to sit and work and contemplate, while still maintaining privacy.

To fit into the scale of the neighborhood, the forms were broken into pieces and separated visually to minimize the apparent size of and mass of the home. Forms were kept simple with most of the openings either South or North to maintain privacy and let in light. Materials were chosen to minimize maintenance, and wood was used on floors and ceilings and eaves. Clean, simple forms maintain the budget, and address the goal for a design that will endure.