Davy Residence [Mill Valley, CA]

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=185 BGCOLOR="#333333" TEXT="#F7F7FF" bgproperties="fixed" background="2b28ec00ddualp.jpg"> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#333333" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> <FONT SIZE="6" COLOR="#99FF99" FACE="Tw Cen MT Condensed" >Studio 300A Art+ Architecture</FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#0000BF" FACE="Tw Cen MT Condensed" >    </FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Tw Cen MT Condensed" > </FONT><B>|   </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Studio 300A Art Architecture"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="new_residence_in_sausalito__ca.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Alaria Residence Sausalito, CA"><U><B>Alaria Residence  [Sausalito, CA]</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><B>Davy Residence  [Mill Valley, CA]</B><B>   |   </B><A HREF="renovation_of_mill_valley_house.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="HugGarneau Residence Mill Valley, CA"><U><B>Hug-Garneau Residence  [Mill Valley, CA]</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="small_project_for_little_money.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Carport / Parking Deck Sausalito, CA"><U><B>Carport / Parking Deck  [Sausalito, CA]</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="projects_in_concert_with_other_architects.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="With Others..."><U><B>With Others...</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="job_site_communications_for_current_projects.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Works In Progress"><U><B>Works In Progress</B></U></A></div> <div> <IMG SRC="05c58020.png" border=0 width="600" height="2" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <B>Davy Residence  [Mill Valley, CA]</B></div> <div> <IMG SRC="0aab0220.jpg" border=0 width="432" height="290" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <B>This old "Bay Region Tradition" cottage is owned by Mark and Elizabeth Davy.  Liz is British and as a result of this fact, has one of the most beautiful gardens in Mill Valley.  But this sweet little house turns a blind eye to much of its landscape--particularly to the south where the sun and best portions of the garden are. </B></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <I><B><IMG SRC="0aca0340.jpg" border=0 width="416" height="308" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></I></div> <bR> <div> <B>The project began in John Davis's office when I was working for him back in '98. The intent was to make a series of spaces from the heavily beamed and dark dining area to the wonderfully sunny garden--with the spaces increasingly softening, dissolving and becoming more "suggested" or ephemeral as you move from inside to outside.</B></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <I><B><IMG SRC="0c719760.jpg" border=0 width="281" height="374" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></I></div> <bR> <div> <B>We opened the side of the rather masculine dining area-- letting it spill into a new glass and redwood "greenhouse". The sun and shadows are rather enchanting in this room.  The views of the garden from the house are exquisite.</B><I><B>  </B></I></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <I><B><IMG SRC="0ce44b00.jpg" border=0 width="324" height="432" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">           <IMG SRC="0c57e250.jpg" border=0 width="382" height="293" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></I></div> <bR> <div> <B>Glazed, hanging "barn" doors track just below the beam in this photo.  These regulate the opening between the darker, more somber dining room and this rather cheerful space.  It puts a smile on your face to be in here--whether you want it there or not.</B></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <I><B><IMG SRC="0c862920.jpg" border=0 width="354" height="402" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">   </B></I></div> <div> <I><B>  </B></I></div> <div> <B>The sunroom addition has lightened the dark dining room a bit and smoothed the previously intense transition from dining room to garden.</B></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <I><B><IMG SRC="0e046bb0.jpg" border=0 width="326" height="443" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></I></div> <bR> <div> <B>The ghostly presence centered on the long axis of the addition is a giant Sequoia Sempervirens or "absurdly large Redwood"</B></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <I><B><IMG SRC="0c94fc80.jpg" border=0 width="335" height="456" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> </B></I></div> <bR> <div> <B>The sun room, in turn, opens wide on to a deck with a large trellis reaching over it.  We are one more step closer to being in the garden, yet still we are partially sheltered.  The man made spaces are almost fully dissolved</B><B>.</B></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <I><B><IMG SRC="0cae5850.jpg" border=0 width="485" height="389" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></I></div> <bR> <div> <B>Finally we are poured into the garden and have finished the process of passing from shelter to freedom.  </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Mill Valley Contractor </B><B><U>Doug Barth</U></B><B> and crew are nearly finished as of these photos.  There is still the matter of a large elevated planter base for the whole addition to "sit in".  This will help plug the structure into the earth and make it feel grounded. </B></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B> This project had been in the office of JMD for perhaps 1 year before John retired. It has been with us at DD for a bit longer now.  It is a small but very intricate project.  Truth be told, we have all been very nervous about upsetting this intensely beautiful place.  Save for some long lead times and some annoyingly defective glass coatings, all has gone suspiciously well.  Contractor Doug may tell another story however.</B></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>