McLoughlin Residence & Secondary Dwelling Unit, 2007
Size: 483 s.f. Secondary Dwelling Unit, 1,682 s.f. Primary Residence
Location: Montclair, Oakland, California
Sustainability: Projected Energy Efficiency - 50%, Projected Green Point Rating - 125
With the attitudes embodied in the Bay Region architectural tradition, The McLoughlin residence has been renewed into two dwelling units and redesigned to fit with the natural hillside environment of Montclair. What was once a 1,682 s.f. house, is now a 483 s.f. in-law unit and a 1,538 s.f primary residence, all fitting within the original footprint of the structure. The additional 339 s.f has been captured from the voluminous crawl space and new roof shape.
As with this existing house, and most hillside homes, the structural foundation costs were so excessive that the living portions of the house suffered. This structure was originally built in the late 1970s just before the enforcement of California’s energy conservation laws: no insulation, no weather barrier under the siding, delaminating t-1-11 plywood siding, moisture problems and a nonfunctional, split-level floor plan.
The improvements to this original structure were accomplished within the original footprint of the building in order to avoid substantial foundation work. The alterations include a secondary dwelling unit, complete redesign of the main residence plan, inclusion of a library loft and a lower level as the study/office. The water-ponding flat roof of the original structure is replaced with a saw-toothed shed roof, providing natural light through clerestory windows into the main residence and a rain canopy over the secondary dwelling unit entry. The exterior is re-clad with medium dash cement plaster to match the dark coloration of tree trunks; roofs, walls and floors are properly insulated and the heating system changed to radiant floor heat.
