Two Houses in a Lot

Location: Burbank, California
Completed: (expected Fall 2019 )
Scope: Major addition, major remodel
Size: 2,084 square foot front house
1,133 square foot rear house

The challenge:

This property came to us with two small and very run down houses, one a ranch from 1954, and a smaller original structure from 1931.  Although on a small corner lot, the property was zoned R-2, and thus offered the potential to create larger and more useful homes.  The R-2 zoning was both a blessing and a curse, as regulations for large apartment buildings were stringently applied to these modest structures, limiting the options.

The solution:

The simple midcentury plan of the front house was expanded on the ground floor, creating an enlarged kitchen, open to the living room.   Additionally, we added an intimate dining room with generous windows, and a living room with large sliding doors to a shaded patio.   On the second story are two bedrooms, a laundry/office, plus a large master suite.  The master bedroom ceiling soars to 13 feet.  

The rear house packs a lot into a very small footprint, with 3 bedrooms and 2.5 baths.

Both houses feature numerous setbacks to break down the mass of the buildings, and to fit in with the older, largely single' family neighborhood.  Windows offer generous lights and views, but are composed to protect privacy between the two houses.   A series of outdoor spaces were carved out for each house as well, allowing the respective occupants to either mingle, or keep their privacy.   

We think of this project as a prototype for future housing development in Southern California, offering higher density while still respecting families’ needs for private indoor and outdoor space, and the character and scale of traditional neighborhoods.