The project involved remodeling an existing structure to combine the public function of an art gallery with the domestic components of a house. The new building accommodates the needs of the residents as well as large gatherings.
The challenge was to create a spacious gallery space within a relatively small building envelope (a 1,400-square-foot residence on a 4,000-
square-foot lot). City regulations required that the square footage and footprint of the existing structure be maintained and that a minimum of 50 percent of the existing walls remain intact. The solution was a scale-appropriate response that was in keeping with the neighboring buildings.
A new load-bearing wall bisects the building on the diagonal. Two distinct zones were created differentiating the gallery from the residence and separating the public from the private functions. The roof plane of the gallery was lifted to allow light to enter the gallery. The clerestory serves as the main light source, eliminating the need for windows and maximizing wall surface for the display of art.
A forced perspective was created within the gallery. The space tapers in plan and section out to the garden courtyard. A 20-foot-long reflecting pool extends the gallery floor plane and expands the space beyond the building envelope.
The fireplace is a continuation of the tilted roof plane and serves as an easel for viewing art. The gallery offers optimum flexibility. Floating steel bars, supported by cantilevered steel arms, provide an armature for lighting. An aluminum picture rail is mounted at the top of all walls for cable attachments.
The domestic zone consists of two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a kitchen. All components are accessed from the main gallery space. Sliding glass partitions close off the rooms from the gallery. The articulation of materials strengthens the idea of distinct public and private zones in the building. The storefront curtain wall of laminated opaque glass allows north light to filter into the gallery space. The zinc-clad façade is a heavier, stronger piece that denotes the residence. The 5-foot-wide steel frame glass pivot door marks the entrance.
The architect designed most of the furniture for the house. The landscape is an extension of the architecture; outdoor rooms were created using walls of timber bamboo, fragments of concrete walls, and planes of redwood. The existing garage was converted to an office for the art dealer. 
