Open Ranch
Mountain View, California
The clients wanted to update their ranch house and make good use of their unusually large site next to downtown Mountain View. We sketched several options for design and scope of work to assess feasibility and value to the clients.
The chosen design retains an existing bedroom wing, while the layout of the living spaces is re-worked to an open plan flooded with light, with vaulted ceilings and strong indoor-outdoor connection to a yard optimized for outdoor living. Awkward angles and inefficient spaces of the former house have been replaced with a clear, simple floor plan designed for ease of everyday living.
An ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit) was added for rental income to support the rest of the project.
Architect: Saikley Architects
Landscape Architect: John Dalrymple Lanscape Architecture
Structural Engineering: DP Advanced Engineering
General Contractor: Rett Construction Group
Photography: Kurt Manley
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“We worked with Alexandra on a major project with several challenges – building a brand new home on a small, sloped lot that required several variances. To add to that, we were first-time owner-builders. From the very beginning of the process at the design stage, Alexandra was easy to work with and very open to both incorporating our requests and needs while providing helpful insight and guidance. Her clear, consistent, and thorough communication got us through a complicated Zoning review process. She and her team helped us adapt in creative ways to ensure that we met Zoning’s requirements while still keeping the best parts of the design. We’ve been living in the home for several months now and absolutely love it! The best part for us about working with Alexandra, which is easy to take for granted but very significant in a long project like this, was her incredible professionalism, responsiveness, and trustworthiness. We never had any problem communicating and working with her over the course of our project, despite the other challenges and many different people involved. Thank you, Alexandra, for helping make a dream come true for us!” – Client