Text supplied by Seibert Architects
This house on Treasure Island, Floria, was in derelict condition and had suffered numerous remodels and additions which created a confused internal organization and external appearance.
The most valuable aspect of the site, the view to and relationship to the water, was largely disrupted by window frames and awkward landscaping.
The new owner enlisted Seibert Architects to remodel the house to make it modern while retaining as much of the original structure as possible.
Spatially disruptive elements were removed from the interior and with a few small, but critical adjustments to the arrangement of interior walls, the interior spaces could be better defined, and circulation and spatial arrangement oddities are corrected.
A variety of strategies are employed to bring natural light to dark interior areas.
Showers in bathrooms are designed as light wells and the master shower becomes a glass box pushing through the exterior wall that brings openness and light into the master bath.
Privacy is provided with landscaping creating a showering in the garden experience.
Within the area of previous additions an entry courtyard with a water feature is carved out and two bedrooms are created.
A glass entry plane is provided within the courtyard to create a foyer in front of the original footprint of the house and to allow views of the courtyard from within the house.
This increases the penetration of natural light to the interior and allows inside and outside to communicate with the foyer being the transitional element between the two.
The exterior wall facing the waterfront is restructured to expand the openness to the water in a manner which relates to the redefined interior spaces.
Retaining the existing roof structure would be one of the major challenges in the transformation of this house to a modern aesthetic.
To address the house’s appearance, a plan was developed which would add new character defining elements outside of the original structure.
These elements enhance both the indoor and outdoor experience and provide functional outdoor use areas that enrich the transition between inside and outside.
These elements also act as a visual screen, helping to conceal the original roofline.
The design of the exterior hardscape is no less important in that it supports the modern aesthetic brought to the house and creates a cohesive architectural experience.
In both style and function the work done to this house represents a stunning transformation that was hard to imagine when confronted with the original house.
Photos by Ryan Gamma Photography
