This new house in an established urban neighborhood was designed to accommodate private chamber music concerts for 80 to 100 guests. The challenge was to ensure that the house was also a home, scaled to create a comfortable living space for two, inbetween concerts! The main floor spaces flow together seamlessly, and continue out into the garden, with a raised terrace off of the kitchen that is wrapped by a lap pool, and a glazed wall that folds open to overlook a large oak tree. The second floor is divided into two bedroom suites, each with 'front to back' cross-ventilation and access to a large roof terrace. The third floor contains a third guest bedroom suite, with a private sitting room off the large roof garden, with views of the city skyline through the trees. The floors are tied together with a modern wood and glass staircase that is cantilevered off of one wall.
The house features radiant infloor heating; two wood fired masonry stoves - one for cooking as well as heating ('Kacheloeffen'); with hand-crafted ceramic tiles by Jessica Steinhauser; a large 'Rumford' fireplace, an elevator, hot-water solar panels on the roof, a rainwater cistern, and a generator.