The Brief we received from the Owners was that they want to maximize their solar potential, while achieving a contemporary style design on two stories.

 

Upon Synthesizing the code, we quickly came up with a concept that addresses all issues and creates a unique style, by implementing one simple move. That move is breaking the gable from the center and lowering it to create a juxtaposed roof style, that is desirable and efficient with the proposed Tesla Solar Tiles that we wish to implement in the project.

 

The roof being broken in the center, hence the broken arrow concept, creates a dual vernacular on architectural styles. Since the neighborhood is still mid-century modern homes with eaves, and craftsmen style decorative elements, the architectural team at EIOS, INC. decided to incorporate this element into the house on either flank, or the sides facing the setbacks.

 

The home is designed in a two-story fashion and the second story is set back 6’-0” from the property line, and the first story is setback 5’-0”. The overall height is 27’-0” to the edge of the ridge, the roof is a 1:2 Ratio on all façade elevations. The overall intent was to stack three equidistant (in width) boxes and have the style make the elevations, fenestrations, and decorations. The width is 7’ x 7’ x 7’. The structural core aligns with these dimensions and the roof is sitting on this core grid as well.

 

The aesthetic of the building is achieved by keeping the stucco side minimalistic to heighten the glazing both in the front and the rear of the house. The two first story masses are aligned to either setback and extend towards the rear yard. The flanks of the house resemble a classic home with un-guttered drip eaves, and wood siding. The wood siding is chosen to be no more than 2” in width to displace it from the original wood siding typology that existed as a construction methodology.

 

The second story mass is under the allowable 1,000 SF, employing two covered balconies on either flank, intended to shy away from any unneighborly intrusion. The third mass that is the second story is sitting on its walls that penetrate the first story and is not sitting on top of the floor framing, making the house structural integrated as two units of boxes rather than a “wedding cake” typology where one sits on top of the other. This is the proper structural diagram to achieve a braced, yet inexpensive second story. The roof structure of the second story mimics the first story width, (7’x7’x7’) grid; except, that it is turned against the street.

 

The façade on the second floor adorning the street is again clad in wood siding, has no protrusion accentuating the entry, with unnecessary towers or elements, but rather the first and second story wall bleed into glazing to highlight this feature of the house. In addition, there is a balcony inside which makes this move intended and accentuated by the façade move.

 

The rear of the house is where the Zero Edge Eave, and modern style smooth stucco are employed to look on the backyard as a more private and bolder move. The front façade intends to honor the existing fabric, and the rear accentuates the home’s unique style.

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The landscaping area and the spa are an exercise of carving out from negative space a positive existence. The two boxes on either flank create a triangular rear yard, and the that rear yard in infilled with a pool, spa, and a tanning deck.

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On the Easterly Side of the property is where the accessory structure is located. The accessory structure is connected tot eh main building via a trellis. The Trellis Spans into the Rear Yard, by virtue of a column only. It is not counted towards the 15% allowable encroachment into the rear yard per the zoning code. The Accessory Structure houses a Game or Multi-Function Room, and a single bathroom. The Game room will only sport a wet bar. The accessory structure also acts as a hub for 80% of the systems, such as the Tesla Battery, the Dual Water Heaters, Condensers, and the Main Panel, where the feed is the from the rear of the property. Then it triangulates into a victory garden or a pad for a large Tree.

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The accessory structure is designed per the accessory structure rules in the rest of the planning manual it is setback 5’-0” from the rear and has a inside lot line setback of 5’-0” following the trajectory of the exterior wall line of the main house.

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On the Westerly Flank of the property is where the master bedroom is located, and we are encroaching into the rear yard by a factor of 9% which is less than the required 30%. The West Side of the house is a little more private and has access from the Master Suite and the Pool Side only.

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A general Architectural note about the roof is the “Broken Arrow Concept. The Gable and the Rake are the same in terms of construction but are cladded differently, since the 6:12 Roof gives us a high wall at eighter edge, I used this to create a façade element and a design break. The intended aesthetic is achieved and pays homage to the houses that came before it. The main element and reasoning for this maneuver are the incorporated Tesla Tiles that will be utilized in the project.

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A general note about the glazing and fenestration is that it is intended to highlight specific light brining corridors, block out the western sun and relay the proper spatial message using tactical placement of the window system. On the Western Facing Easterly Structure there are no windows proposed, to minimize energy usage and block out the western Sun. On the easterly facade of the easterly portion there are four windows to bring in natural eastern light. On the front façade there are two windows looking out from the dining room to provide a view for incoming guests and to see the street. The other main Glazing Element is the entry Façade, which is made from a full glazing element, but it is tucked away by the first story converging angles on the entry way. The bedrooms only have windows facing the east and west side of the setback, and blockage from the street front façade as desired in the design guidelines. Overall, the design is intended to bring in light, all the while blocking private views and utilizing viewing angles.