Marina District Flats

by Studio S Squared Architecture, Inc.

Owners of a very dated but stately two unit building in a highly desirable location, our clients hoped to completely modernize their homes on a sensible budget. To that end, our design retained the character-defining features and details of the units, while fine-tuning the floor plans and finishes to reflect our youthful clients’ tastes.

It made budgetary and practical sense to preserve the classic Marina-style layout of the units, with its front-facing public spaces and rear-facing bedrooms, joined by a service core of kitchen, bathrooms, laundry, and access to an exit stair. It was this core that saw the heaviest updates, with all new systems and finishes, as well as new layouts for the kitchens and bathrooms. By expanding both kitchens to incorporate what was a breakfast area immediately off the formal dining room, we created a more functional cooking area and brought the chefs closer to their guests. Bathrooms were reconfigured to create a true hierarchy between guest bath and master bath. Finally, legalizing an unwarranted room down created a new common recreation/media room, complete with wet bar and facing the sunny rear yard.

The primary finishes were selected by Studio S Squared in consultation with the Owners.

After receiving a series of bids valuing the project at more than $350/sf, the project was awarded to a builder familiar with the work of Studio S Squared, who was able to build the project (inclusive of all finishes) for less than $275/sf.