A Heart Of Steel In Noe Valley

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After decades of having its traditional wood structures decimated in the name of progress, San Francisco’s strict planning and building codes have made it almost impossible to demolish a residential structure. Over the past twenty years of tremendous prosperity, the result is a culture of renovating old houses into completely new ones, scaled to the neigborhood and with respectful street facades.

Transformed by the teams at Feldman Architecture, this structure was once a warren of badly-connected rooms. Entirely gutted, the building footprint was reduced to expand the garden, plus a new top story master suite and terrace added, set back enough so as to not be visible from the street.

The front door is behind a simple steel gate; the window openings have new steel frames that extend a few inches beyond the cement board exterior cladding, and inside to create the interior window frame details. Throughout the clear, open plan is dominated by a steel, oak and glass staircase that extends through all four levels under a skylight, filling the interior spaces with a soft, diffuse light.




Below, a planted roof and patio off the master suite.