gertler house

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The plan of this residence packs four bedrooms, five baths, a study, and a garage, in addition to the kitchen, dining, and two story living room into its 3,400 S.F. While the buildings walls go to the set back lines, and roof nudges the height limit, the masses are notched and carved away to provide windows with views that avoid the closely adjacent buildings, and create a scale that acknowledges its mining cabin context.

 

The front of the house is in the picket fence, front porch formality of its well kept modest neighbors, while the back, south side loosens up to provide an informal, if compact, setting for family activities.

 

The elements and events of the interior are designed, arranged, and sequenced according to an overall concept. Rather than one element placed in contrast to another creating a dichotomy, elements are combined in groups of three, where each element has dominance over one of the others creating a "trichotomy" as in the game Rocks, Scissors, Paper.

 

With three elements the balance is more dynamic, and the spiral of glass, stone, and metal begins at the front entry and continues up to the upper level, including furniture, sinks, light fixtures, as well as the fireplace.