Our design for the façade of this house contains many references to the work of noted Bay Area architect Bernard Maybeck. The concrete exterior panels, aluminum windows designed to echo industrial steel sash, redwood log supporting the third floor breakfast deck, curving trellises and concrete fascia panels all reference Maybeck’s work. However, the overall design is quite original in its combinations of forms, eclectic references and reinterpreting of motifs. The use of steel detailing in the trellis’ rolled c-channels, the railings and the strut supporting the redwood log bring these motifs gently into the 21st Century. The house was intended to respect its immediate surroundings while also providing an opportunity to experiment with new materials and unconventional applications of common materials, much as Maybeck did during his own time.
Not all Postmodern buildings read as historical in their overall form. This Bernard Maybeck-inspired house is quite modern, given its expansive glass and flat surfaces. But certain elements, particularly the cornice in the top-right corner, are postmodern in their articulation. The cornice and brackets appear oversized, and the "eyebrow" over the garage looks more compositional than functional.
fiber cement siding
Homage to an Architectural Hero Our design for the façade of this house contains many references to the work of noted Bay Area architect Bernard Maybeck. The concrete exterior panels, aluminum windows designed to echo industrial steel sash, redwood log supporting the third floor breakfast deck, curving trellises and concrete fascia panels all reference Maybeck’s work. However, the overall design is quite original in its combinations of forms, eclectic references and reinterpreting of motifs. The use of steel detailing in the trellis’ rolled c-channels, the railings and the strut supporting the redwood log bring these motifs gently into the 21st Century. The house was intended to respect its immediate surroundings while also providing an opportunity to experiment with new materials and unconventional applications of common materials, much as Maybeck did during his own time.
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