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The get-away alcove to the left, and the window seat beyond, are two much-needed sanctuaries in a busy household.
By Kai Tong AIA, Hopkins & Porter Architecture Department
In Rockville, a compact brick rambler, with no inch of space un-used, clamored for more bedrooms and baths.
To meet the need for space, the entire existing attic was removed, and a new full height second floor was put in place. Extensive planning allowed the old attic tearoff, the new second floor wall erection, and the craning in place of the new roof trusses, to take place in a brisk, non-stop manner.
A recent H&P newsletter article by Dana Semmes best describes what followed.
"In the early summer when it rained 54 days out of 61, Hopkins & Porter was calmly and carefully taking the roof off of a house.
Our client's original plan was to build a three-story addition. Their existing house had tiny rooms on the first floor and only two bedrooms. The attic was largely storage area, and the homeowners were using their dining room table and basement for office space.
After brainstorming with Hopkins & Porter Architect Kai Tong and Associate Lea Allen about their dreams, needs, and budget, the owners decided on a design that raised the roof on the existing footprint of the home. This provided three bedrooms and two full bathrooms on the new second floor. The master bedroom now includes an "away space", a sort-of 2nd floor den, that the client had read about in "The Not-So-Big House" by Sarah Susanka. Downstairs, the old bedrooms now provide space for two home offices, and there are plans to open up the living spaces sometime in the future.
This project is a perfect illustration of one of the great strengths of Design-Build: we can find wonderful design solutions for our client's housing problems that also fit their budget. And we can also keep them dry even when it's raining and their roof is off!"
The completed Rockville project was featured on a house tour.
Raising the roof allowed more room for a view from second floor bedroom.
The top of the stairs previously had barely enough headroom to stand. The renovated space celebrates light and the lofty planes of the new roof.