As-Purchased Photos: Living, Dining, and Views

The view from the rear of the house is amazing, and looks north and east over downtown and the Bay Bridge. There is currently a living room, bedroom, and laundry room off the kitchen, but we're going to transform them into an open, indoor/outdoor living and dining space that exploits the sun and views to maximum potential.

To join all of the rooms into a single great room, we will likely need to use a steel moment frame to provide structural integrity and protection from shearing in an earthquake. This could be very expensive, but we're open to it for many reasons. First and foremost, it enables a much more open floor plan. Steel frames also provide unparalleled strength to the structure, especially during shaking from an earthquake. Finally, an exposed moment frame can be a dramatic architectural detail.

Exposing the bones of the house in places creates tension, as the structural elements protrude from the skin and hint at what lies beneath. To me, visible building reinforcement is a reminder that I live in San Francisco, a highly seismically active place. Simultaneously reassuring and ominous, a moment frame will be an emotional addition to the house.