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BLUEBERRY HOUSE
Berkeley, CA
Set on any idyllic site in the lower Berkeley Hills next to Codornices Creek, this home has seen a lot of change—and ideas for change—over the years. With
an understated front façade to the street, the house becomes tall toward the large backyard as the ground drops down toward the creek at the rear of
the lot. Our clients bought the property for its tranquil forested setting and its walking proximity to the heart of Berkeley's civic and commercial areas.
Primary concerns were accessibility for older family members and friends, accommodation of spaces for religious ceremonies and social gatherings,
and a large addition with a flexible floorplan. The integration between house and site was always at the heart of the design. During construction, it
became clear to our clients that a different property would better fit their needs, and so they sold this property when the house addition was partially
built. We then worked with designer Tim Larkin of STG Engineering and the new developer-builder, Dan McDunn, on design revisions and permitting.
McDunn largely kept our large, flexible floorplan and the landscape layout as we had developed, but he made some key changes to fit a broader market.
McDunn designed the interior and exterior finish details, landscaping, and building systems, and finished building the project.
Photographs by Open Homes Photography
Designed by Saikley Architects, Alameda, CA, page 214
