Easa Architecture

Oct 2013

This home is located in a heavily forested scenic area along the ridge of the S.F. Peninsula's coastal mountain range. Restrictive "view-shed" regulations made additions all but impossible, and expansion into an existing unimproved attic area was the only real hope. The Owners asked us to figure a way to meet their need for more space despite the apparent lack of access and limited available area. With some careful design work we were able to convert the pre-existing, unfinished attic area into 619 sf. of tightly-planned new living space. This served to expand the compact 1,246 sf house into a 1,865 sf. two-story family home. The extremely efficient upstairs layout includes a full Master Suite and another Bedroom with its own separate Bathroom. From the exterior the only visible indications of the new living area are gable windows, and the new dormers and skylights that bring in daylight, fresh-air, and a bit of extra headroom. Access is gained via a new stair which replaces the drop-down attic access ladder that had awkwardly occupied part of the Living room ceiling. The stair takes up a portion of the former Master Bedroom space on the First Floor, with the remaining area converted into a cozy multi-function Study/Home Office/Guest Room. The First Floor Kitchen and Dining Room are also completely remodeled as part of a broader program of improvements and upgrades accomplished in conjunction with the attic conversion. Project Credits- EASA Architecture: EASA Architecture, San Mateo CA; Ellis A. Schoichet AIA, David S. Uldrick, and James P. Riffel; Structural Engineer: KH Engineers, San Jose CA; Construction: By Owner; Interior Design: By Owner

Redwood City, CA

Oct 2013

Multiple additions and comprehensive updating of a ranch-house in Saratoga CA re-energizes and refreshes the home for the future. The house is designed and detailed to be the perfect stage for the Owners' family lifestyle. Multiple new additions combine for a net expansion of almost 1,350 sf., making the completed one-story residence a generous 5,110 sf (4,250 sf living area). The improved layout orients the family's living areas towards the expansive backyard, with the spaces all taking advantage of views and easy access to the outdoors. Project Credits- EASA Architecture: Ellis A. Schoichet AIA and David S. Uldrick; Structural Engineer: Mike Mahmoudian & Associates, Burlingame CA; Landscape Architect: Ground Works, San Jose CA (Lois Munson); General Contractor: Wm. H. Fry Construction Company, Cupertino CA (Bill Fry); Interior Design: AS Designs Inc., Los Gatos CA (Anna Sarkissian); Lighting Design: Sanford Lighting Design, Palo Alto CA (Linda Sanford); Images: Craig W. Smith Photography

Saratoga, CA

Oct 2013

A new 4,520 sf (3,722 sf. living area) multi-level home carved into a steep upslope site. The project involved a complex planning entitlement process with initial administrative resistance giving way to acceptance through the Architectss painstaking coaxing, cajoling, and behind-the-scenes negotiations. Construction of the home required a unique and difficult shoring design in order to retain a pre-existing side wall. Preservation of the side wall was required in order to maintain a non-conforming setback, critical to the ultimate livability of the home. A key challenge of this design was to create spacious light-filled spaces for living despite being partially built into the hillside. The design uses many subtle design tools to meet this challenge, including multiple levels stepping up the slope, high ceilings, an open floor plan, and large windows. Project Credits- EASA Architecture: Ellis A. Schoichet AIA and David S. Uldrick; Geotechnical Engineer: PG Soils, Burlingame CA; Structural Engineer: Sung Engineering, Union City CA(building); BC|A Engineering, San Carlos CA (shoring); Civil Engineer: MacLeod Associates, San Carlos CA; General Contractor: Peter Harris Construction, San Francisco CA (building); Palo Alto Concrete, Palo Alto CA (earthwork, shoring, foundations); Landscape: Owner; Interior Design: Owner; Images: Craig W. Smith Photography

San Carlos, CA

Oct 2013

"An addition/remodel project with a modern feeling on a steep downslope site- the home is a radically improved version of the original house. Every detail from the exterior massing, siding and landscape to the interior finishes have been reconsidered, refined, and improved. The home is optimized to take advantage of the breathtaking canyon views while providing a comfortable and welcoming backdrop for the day to day activities of the Owners' family and friends. A 955 sf second floor addition includes a new Guest Suite and Home Office with panoramic bay views. The Kitchen and Family Room are completely remodeled, including removal of the wall separating the spaces and elimination of a dropped ceiling. New cabinetry, appliances, lighting, and other finishes make the Kitchen/Family Room a pleasure to use. New exterior siding, windows, and custom designed exterior doors combine with the massing of the new addition to create a dramatic exterior rich in light, shadow, and texture. Custom designed exterior railings fabricated from red brass tubing and stainless steel cables enhance the design without obstructing the view. Custom paneled interior doors, unique cabinetry, and richly detailed tile work highlight a spacious interior suffused with natural daylight from extensive new windows and skylights. In order to resolve cracking and leaking problems that plagued the structure during the first several years of the Owner's occupancy an 840 sf. area at the western end of the house was demolished and reconstructed with state of the art foundations and waterproofing. The reconstruction provided the opportunity to improve the interior layout in the bedroom wing, although the exterior perimeter was rebuilt to the same lines in order to sidestep a potentially lengthy and contentious review process. A new 8.4 KW solar electric system is integrated into the existing and new roof areas. It offsets a significant amount of the home's peak power draw and feeds excess power back to the grid during low use periods. The Owner has a particular fondness for watching the electric meter run backwards. Project Credits: EASA Architecture: Ellis A. Schoichet AIA Structural Engineer: Mike Mahmoudian & Associates, Burlingame CA Landscape Architect: Michael Callan Landscape Architect, San Mateo CA General Contractor: Peter Harris Construction, San Francisco CA Interior Design: Peters and Associates, San Francisco CA Lighting Design: McCoy Lighting Design, Novato CA Images: Ellis A. Schoichet AIA

Burlingame, CA

Oct 2013

The home is located on nearly an acre of suburban land graced with groves of mature redwood trees. Previously developed with a generic 1950's ranch home and swimming pool, the new Owner's vision was of a home that would do more to enhance the beauty of the site. The design creates a country estate that encompasses the entire site as extended outdoor living space. The main house is designed around the Owner's large collection of books, and features settings for formal entertaining as well as their relaxed, informal lifestyle. Accommodations are provided for guests, visiting grown children, and future grandchildren. Maximum reuse of existing elements meant that the pre-existing foundation, floor structure, and the existing swimming pool were incorporated into the final design. The footprint of the ranch house was expanded from 2,200 sf to 2,900 sf and the remainder of the two-story 3,850 sf main house is an entirely new structure around it. The restored pool is a key element in the updated landscape, and a new 1,430 sf detached cottage with 1 bedroom/ 1 bath guest quarters and a 2-car garage completes the site improvements. Construction was master-planned so that the Owners could live on the site throughout the development process. The detached guest house / garage was built first and they were able to watch the transformation of the main house from the vantage of the cozy cottage nearby. Project Credits- EASA Architecture: Ellis A. Schoichet AIA; Structural Engineer: Jay Hammond; General Contractor: Galli Builders Inc.; Interior Design: Owner; Lighting Design: Architect and Owner; Images: Dennis Mayer, John Canham

Atherton, CA

Oct 2013

This beloved historic home, originally constructed in 1910, has been adapted to the needs of a growing family. The charm of the original front covered porch, Living Room and Dining Room have been carefully preserved and used as the starting-point for the improvements to the remainder of the home. Every element of the design from the exterior massing to the interior finishes has been carefully considered, refined, and detailed to achieve the Owner's goals: Enhancing the existing house, opening-up to the breathtaking views of the nearby coastal hills, and providing a comfortable and welcoming backdrop for the day to day activities of family and friends. An addition at the rear enlarges the Kitchen and creates a comfortable and functional work space, more storage, better views, and a built-in breakfast nook for informal dining. The Kitchen is designed to be a great place to cook and a central location for supervising children in the various play areas around the house. A visual link between the Dining Room and the Kitchen makes it so the cook is never isolated from the action when entertaining. Instead of using built-in cabinets for the central island, the Owners chose to use carefully selected antique pieces arranged to create a combination of work surfaces as well as display and storage elements. This complements the historic, lived-in feeling of the home while maximizing the flexibility of the space over time. True to the original vision, the final design maintains the intimate charm of the original home even though 1,306 sf. of additions virtually double its size. And best of all, the home remains filled with fun and whimsy- A nurturing environment in which the lives of both children and adults can flourish. This project was selected for an Honor Award in 2005 by the AIA San Mateo County Chapter. Project Credits- EASA Architecture: Ellis A. Schoichet AIA and David S. Uldrick; Structural Engineer: Mike Mahmoudian & Associates, Burlingame CA; General Contractor: Fulwiler James, Moss Beach CA; Interior Design: Studio 3, San Jose CA; Lighting Design: Architect and Owner; Landscape Design: Keith Willig Landscape Architecture, Redwood City CA; Images: Steve Whittaker Photography

Moss Beach, CA

Oct 2013

Optimizing the living spaces in this California ranch house inspired us to re-think the layout and shift functions to fit the size and proportion of the existing rooms. The former Kitchen was converted to a Dining Room and the former Dining Room expanded with a small (52 sf.) addition and built-out as a dream Kitchen. The inter-connection of these spaces to the Living Room and to each other was enhanced, and the entire area re-cast in a more traditional stylistic mode to suit the Owner. This strategic remodel completely transformed the public areas of the home. Project Credits- EASA Architecture: Ellis A. Schoichet AIA and David S. Uldrick; Structural Engineer: Mike Mahmoudian & Associates, Burlingame CA; Interior Design: Diedre Shaw Interiors, Burlingame CA; Images: Ellis A. Schoichet AIA

Burlingame, CA

Oct 2013

The cabin, set in an historic recreation community administered by the US Forest Service, replaces a beloved family retreat destroyed by fire in the Winter of 2008. The cabin is located above 5,600' elevation in the Sierra Nevada mountains near Yosemite National Park and the Emigrant Wilderness Area. The design survived a rigorous review process that requires all buildings to blend unobtrusively into the forested setting and conform to the rustic "Forest Service" aesthetic. Working within these constraints, and inspired by the Owners' love of the old cabin, the new design is fine-tuned to the family's lifestyle and full of amenities missing from its predecessor. Completed in Spring 2011, the all new 1,319 sf wood cabin has already earned its place as the family's favorite getaway. The main living area has a steeply vaulted ceiling with exposed trusses and a generous sleeping loft. The casual vacation lifestyle is enhanced by an expansive outdoor living area on the deck, a four season indoor/outdoor convertible "Games Room", and a "Bunk-House" with its own bathroom and sleeping loft for the kids and their friends. Project Credits- EASA Architecture: Ellis A. Schoichet AIA and David S. Uldrick; Geotechnical Engineer: Neil O. Anderson & Associates, Lodi CA; Structural Engineer: Neil O. Anderson & Associates, Lodi CA; General Contractor: Tune Construction, Twain Harte CA; Landscape: Alterations to natural features prohibited by U.S. Forest Service; Interior Design: Owner Images: Ellis A. Schoichet AIA

Pinecrest, CA

Oct 2013

Complete updating of a home on a prominent site, reusing as much of the basic frame of the existing structure as possible. Careful negotiation with the Planning Department enabled the Owners to preserve several hundred sf of non-conforming floor area that would not have been allowed if the existing structure had been replaced. The finished 4,700 sf (4,285 sf living area) home is fully transformed and given a new life both inside and out. Project Credits- EASA Architecture: Ellis A. Schoichet AIA, David S. Uldrick, and James P. Riffel; Structural Engineer: Mike Mahmoudian & Associates, Burlingame CA; Landscape Architect: Girvin Peters Landscape, Los Altos CA; General Contractor: Plemons Construction, Palo Alto CA; Interior Design: By Owner with JD'zine, San Francisco CA; Images: Ellis A. Schoichet AIA and Craig W. Smith Photography

Palo Alto, CA