Project Name: Dolores Heights House
Architecture: jones / haydu
Project Team: Hulett Jones, Paul Haydu, Grace Leung
Interior Design: Sawyers Design
General Contractor: Jeff King and Company
Structural Engineering: Strandberg, Strandberg Engineering
Location: San Francisco, United States
Area: 295 m²
Year: 2021
Photo Credits: Matthew Millman
Located in San Francisco’s Dolores Heights neighborhood, this west-sloping site offers sweeping views of the city and the iconic Sutro Tower. The home is a collaborative effort with Kevin Sawyers of Sawyers Design, who is also a part owner of the residence.
Transforming an Earthquake Cottage
Kevin and his husband aimed to remodel and expand their existing earthquake cottage, which had been added onto piecemeal over the years. Their goal was to transform the awkwardly connected rooms into an open, harmonious space. Given that the existing footprint covered much of the lot, maximizing the house’s relationship with the unique site was crucial.
Seamless Circulation and Unique Site Interaction
The circulation for the site and house follows a straight axis, interacting with the building’s forms as they ascend to the main entrance. Inside, this axis always anchors the experience: on the downhill end by Sutro Tower, and on the uphill end by a magnificent Monterey cypress tree.
Nesting Forms and Material Palette
The forms of the Dolores Heights House nest with each other, highlighted by a material palette of cedar, standing seam metal, and cementitious panels. These forms, along with the interior palette, create rooms within a wide-open plan. The crescendo of forms occurs at the front, paying homage to quintessential San Francisco vernacular architecture.
Inverted Bay Window and Urban Forest Experience
An “inverted” bay window box cantilevers eight feet from the facade, highlighting three experiences of the “urban forest.” Below, an exterior fire pit represents the forest floor. Inside, the box frames a view of the “trunk” level. Above, a roof deck extends the living room, allowing an experience of the “canopy” level. At this deck, the backdrop features a gable, evoking a child-like expression of home.
