Scott Weiss Architect Portfolio - Millside Residence

Portfolio

Millside Residence – Revised Scheme

Mill Valley, California

For Tardy and Associates Architects

DESIGN CONCEPT
This modest-sized house sits at the edge of a large slope that drops down sharply from street level. The massing of the house consists of two cubic forms intersecting at an angle responding to and bending with the contour of the land.

INTERIOR FEATURES
The parking and entry are on the top level and a dramatic stair topped with a pyramidal skylight leads one floor down to the main living level. The stair hall leads to both a terrace and a combo living-dining-kitchen area. There are two bedrooms, two baths and a laundry room on the level below. All of the windows extend from the floor to the ceiling providing expansive views of the wooded site.

EXTERIOR FEATURES
The exterior of the house is clad in stucco with galvanized sheet metal accents such as the railings and scuppers and downspouts. The relationship between the cantilevered chimney and the windows below is an example of the deliberate interactions of the openings and the solid forms.

PROJECT AFFILIATIONS
Tardy and Associates Architects

Millside Residence – Original Scheme

Mill Valley, California

For Tardy and Associates Architects

DESIGN CONCEPT
The modest-sized house sits at the edge of a steep slope that drops down sharply from street level. The small size of the property necessitates a compact design that maximizes the spaces within. Off-street parking is accommodated on a roof deck and adjacent steps lead to the entry level one floor below. The interior stairs are seen as a thin tower-like spine running the length of the house. The rest of the house “leans” up against this element which provides a measure of visual stability.

INTERIOR FEATURES
Due to the slope of the property the entry space leads directly to the stairs leading down to the main living level consisting of a great room (family/breakfast/kitchen), a study and a powder room. There are two bedrooms, two baths and a laundry room on the level below. Despite the compact design the rooms are relatively generous in size.

EXTERIOR FEATURES
The exterior finishes are mainly horizontal wood siding with stucco accents all atop a heavy-looking concrete base visually anchoring the house to the ground. The simple geometric forms are punctuated by recesses and bump-outs visually supported by brackets and the simple roofline is broken by shed dormers over the large expanses of glass. Brackets also support the roof eaves of the stair spine and a ridge skylight over the stair allows light to filter down into the house.

PROJECT AFFILIATIONS
Tardy and Associates Architects