Design by: William Duff Architects (WDA)
Location: San Francisco, United States
Photo credits: Matthew Millman with Lucy Bamman
Press distribution: v2com
About William Duff Architects (WDA)
Founded in 1998, and located in San Francisco, WDA finds inspiration in the people, landscapes, and values of Northern California, which inform every aspect of their work, from their design philosophy to their collaborative process, to their value for clear and transparent communication with their clients. The firmโs commitment to a culture that fosters curiosity, collaboration, and innovation drives its success in projects across its Residential, Hospitality, Community, and Commercial practices.
Modern design meets Victorian charm within this California family home
San Francisco, United States, 2024-09-30 – San Francisco-based William Duff Architects (WDA)โwhose versatile design approach is sought after by private clients for city dwellings and country estates alikeโunveils a new project nestled in the center of the city. The stunning design pays homage to San Franciscoโs storied Victorian past, retaining the structure’s original faรงade, while completely transforming the interiors and rear elevation into a statement-making contemporary home. The three-story front faรงade features architectural elements that appear to combine characteristics from various Victorian styles.
These include Folk, a reference to the middle-class of the Victorian era, Queen Anne, and Italianate. Details of these styles include a flat-roofed, asymmetric elevation with horizontal wood siding, and a double stack of sashed bay windows encased in trim and carving. The entry stairs are flanked by finial-topped newel posts leading to the glass-paneled entry door beneath a window and a narrow balcony.
The modern aesthetic employed by the design team was led by WDA residential practice leader Jim Westover, AIA, LEED AP, who sought to enhance the faรงade with a crisp palette of bright white, with hints of blue-gray and black. “This design approach turns the faรงade from appealingly decorative to strikingly graphic,” says Westover. The firmโs distinctive, yet subtle design choice also sets the tone for the design conversation between the front and rear of the residence.
Notably, the rear faรงade opens up to showcase WDAโs modern and exuberant take on the Victorian-style faรงade โ resulting in a design composition clad in custom Western Red Cedar that is punctuated by oversized glazed units topped with a peaked roof. Westover observes that while visually juxtaposed, the front and rear faรงades are architecturally referential. Throughout the 3,758-square foot interior, the design features a riff on the inverted, or reverse level, floor plan, with programming spread across three levels. The ground floor includes a utilities room, kitchenette, full-bath, and exercise area that also provides access to the landscaped backyard.
The main floor features the primary suite with walk-in closet, childrenโs bedrooms, and Jack-and-Jill bath. The vaulted-ceilinged upper floor contains a guest bedroom/den with ensuite bath, powder room, office, kitchen, dining area, and living room that opens onto a deck with city views. “Victorians are beautiful and important markers of San Franciscoโs architectural history, but heritage architecture isnโt always suited for contemporary living, particularly in cities where space is at a premium,” notes Westover. “We believe that with our thoughtful design interventions and interpretations of the past in this design, we are contributing to moving history into the present.”
