Miyazaki Uphoff
Three story addition in rear transforms the mundane into dramatic.

A typical two-bedroom house over a garage. An undocumented lower family room. Pretty typical of most homes in the neighborhood that were developed in the 1950s. In this case, the owners wanted to expand their home to include a master suite and guest quarters. The challenge was to do this economically while capturing the stunning city views that were tantalizingly available from the roof. The most economical solution was to add a three-story addition in the rear. By placing this addition a half-level higher yielded some dramatic results: East Bay views from the master bedroom, a 14-foot ceiling to the new family room /guest suite off the back yard, and a higher, glass rooftop yoga/mediation room with 180-degree views of downtown San Francisco. The height of the addition was accentuated through the use of vertical cedar and painted cement board. Economical, logical and effective.