An urbanite’s dream
Just how far can good design go? Is it possible to take a mundane parking garage and turn it into a beautiful yet practical residence? Definitely.
For the Sacramento Court building in San Francisco, Paulett Taggart Architects started with an ordinary parking garage and transformed it into a stunning residential space comprising four three-story townhouses (1,800 square feet and 2,250 square feet) and an entry court—all without sacrificing parking.
The main goal for Paulett Taggart, AIA, was to transform the unreinforced masonry structure into one that enriched the residential texture of the street, while keeping as much of the precious parking as possible. The existing masonry garage was upgraded to meet local seismic requirements and reconstructed to support new housing units above. With the reinforced foundation, the architects were able to successfully create four spacious residences—and in doing so, completely redefined the term infill.
The double-width space was developed as two townhouses separated by an entry stairway that leads to a common courtyard, which reinforces the rhythm of the street’s lot sizes. The facade’s brick also connects the building’s dark mahogany bay windows with the neighboring structures.
From the entry courtyard, each townhouse has its own entrance. For design continuity inside and out, concrete floors and wood windows were used both in the courtyard and throughout the units’ interiors.
Inside, the units are designed for the spaces to flow into one another, which makes the areas feel larger than they are. Windows become translucent dividers between kitchen, dining area, and hallway. Translucent partitions between the living areas are moveable so the occupants can adjust the flow from the kitchen to the dining room to the living room. In each of the rear units, a dramatic circular staircase, engineered by Endres Ware of Berkeley, extends the feeling of spaciousness from the lower to the upper floors by bringing in light from the courtyard. Large decks with spectacular views further extend the sense of space from interior to exterior; the vistas and rock garden add a tranquil feel. Although the footprint of each unit is compact, the units range from three to four bedrooms, with a large master bedroom on the second floor.
The materials used throughout the building have created a calming retreat for the city dweller. Mahogany on the large bay windows mirror the warm hardwood flooring on each unit’s first floor. Where proximity to neighbors is an issue, ribbed window glass offers privacy yet lets in sunlight. The movable partitions offer the same light division. The kitchen, with its stainless steel and pale limestone, is sleek and minimalist, and fixtures and cabinets have no added ornamentation, creating a streamlined workspace that’s easy to maintain.
Construction duration: 2 years, 9 months. Distinctive characteristics: new residences are built over an existing parking garage; a modern building blends into the residential fabric of an old neighborhood.
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