craftsman teahouse

by Gardner Mohr Architects LLC

This renovation and addition to a 1920’s era bungalow is the story of the stewardship of an existing resource from a state of aging into a “second life,” blending tradition and modernity in form and detail.

Sagging structural elements and a cascade of subsequent incremental failures such as leaking window heads and walls out-of-plumb necessitated the removal of the roof and second floor. Although doubling the square footage of the house, the goal was to avoid “mansionization” and preserve the original intimate character of the house. A garden addition and new second floor were configured under a new form-hugging roof that kept the original bungalow character, yet blended with the asian-modern sensibility that guided the design.

The front of the house preserves the bungalow character while hinting at the modern transformation on the garden side. A series of cross axes from front to rear provides a gradual transition from the cozy original living room to the light-filled and expansive garden rooms. The kitchen, an integral part of the garden rooms, connects to dining, veranda, and a screened porch, all of which overlook a terraced garden. Sky-lit upper floor rooms are tucked under the roof in front and open onto an airy balcony in the rear.

Sustainable design strategies included the reuse of the house as an existing resource; use of salvaged forest products and recycled roofing; careful choices about shading, orientation, and daylighting; high-efficiency lighting and hvac systems; and attention to indoor air and water quality.