Benning Residence

Architect: Brain Bell, BLDGS Ft²: 2600 The project is an addition to a 1927 single story wood framed house. The original structure comprises 1300 sq ft of area, including living, dining, two bedrooms and a single bathroom. The addition doubles this usable area by adding another 1300 sq ft for a family room, a play room, an office and a master suite. City zoning regulations strictly limited the potential of increasing the buildable footprint to the rear of the existing lot, especially on a single level. Additionally, there was the practical imperative for a family including two small children to build over as little of the backyard as possible. The solution was to split the new structure into equal parts, moving 1/3 of the new area to a below ground basement (comprising a play room and a laundry room), 1/3 to an elevated second level (for the master suite and office), leaving just the remaining square footage of a living room and stair on the ground floor. This configuration allows a few key advantages. The new living room serves as an interim level between the existing house and the lower rear yard, allowing the activities of the interior to flow progressively downward and seamlessly to the exterior. Because the second floor is substantially cantilevered over the first, a covered deck is created on two sides of the addition, protecting it from rain and sun. Finally, the excavated soil from the new basement is used to flatten the rear yard, allowing a direct and level linkage between the covered deck and the outdoor playing areas. The cement board cladding of the addition is colored in dark charcoal, so as to blend the glass surfaces of floorto- ceiling windows with exterior form of the house. The covered outdoor deck, recessed into the overall shape of the house, is lined in flush hardwood planks, finished with oil to accentuate its natural orange-brown color.