Page 37 - Spring_2019

ArchDC Spring 2019.qxp_Spring 2019 2/20/19 5:15 PM Page 35

Rear of the renovated house.

Rear of the house before renovation. Photo by KUBE

Photos © Greg Powers, except as noted Living area before renovation. Photo by KUBE

As built in 1985, the house’s living room, which points toward that flowed to the rest of the house. And they wanted to update
the view, featured a ceiling that sloped from the center of the the exterior as much as possible.”
house down toward the fireplace at the rear wall. A pair of long KUBE’s design for the renovation affected about three quarters
skylights in the sloping ceiling brought some natural light into the of the house’s interior space, including much of the first floor and
space, but the design, far from embracing the view, seemed to ignore part of the second. The house’s exterior received a facelift that
or even reject it. The owners—a couple with two daughters— included new fiber-cement board cladding, the replacement of
wanted to address this key issue, and also felt that other aspects shallow, paste-on bays and double-hung windows with modern
of the house’s design were in need of an update. plate-glass or casement windows, and the squaring off of the
“The clients wanted open and modern space,” said Richard garage opening.
Loosle-Ortega, RA, a principal at KUBE. “They wanted views out “The goal was to break open the box to allow views of the
to the rear forest, which were being hindered by small windows surrounding wooded landscape,” Loosle-Ortega said.
and the sloping roof in the main room.” In addition, one of clients “Interconnected spaces were created where previously there were
“is an avid cook, so she also wanted an updated, modern kitchen walls dividing them. The rear roof [of the living room] was raised

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