Barnes Residence

The site is on the north slope of Be al Heights, at the corner of a cul de sac and public stair, where the grids of the city shift. At this intersection, a new loft house intertwines the two found geometries. This live/work building is linked by a courtyard to an existing house. There are two points of access, a bridge off Shipley Street connects to the living functions, a stair off Bessie Street to the work. The horizontal siding and punched windows echo the neighboring buildings. The house stacks from Bessie Street beginning with a garage, on top of which is a photography studio, above which are the family sleeping areas, over which is the living loft with kitchen dining and sitting areas. A clearstory opens the roof to light. From here a panorama is framed by a rotund bay window. This curve flows through the gridded steel moment frame on the elevation, exposing the logic of the plan, ornamenting the exterior with construction, and marking the intersection of street and stair.