Our clients came to us with a busy but beautiful Berkeley hillside lot on which to build a home for the rest of their lives. We combined an L-shaped layout and a walled forecourt to shelter lush gardens around a compact and versatile plan. Gentle ramps, wide corridors and an elevator give access to all the core functions clustered on the main floor and guest bedrooms beyond. Mobile furnishings will allow the kitchen and baths to adapt to reduced mobility and eventually wheelchairs. Light-filled, airy interconnected rooms make a serene backdrop to the owners’ lively art collection and the whole package is swaddled in a highly insulated envelope, warmed by clean, quiet radiant floors, powered by rooftop photovoltaics and drained by an integrated greywater system for economical, ecological, low maintenance comfort.
Up Next
Video Shorts
Featured Story
![](https://images.finehomebuilding.com/app/uploads/2024/06/28093923/012-FHB-Pod-638-Short-1-Feature-thumb-16x9.jpg)
In this FHB Podcast Short, the team discusses when mold remediation is an option and if home inspections should be required.
Related Stories
-
Podcast Episode 638: Moldy Houses, Construction Careers, and Building on a Mesa
-
Buyer Beware: Mold and Poor Construction Make an Expensive Mess
-
Podcast Episode 637: Questions and Conversation with Bill Grande
-
Is the World Ready for Full Electrification? A Conversation with Bill Grande, VP at Leviton
Discussion Forum
Highlights
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.