Washington Residence
Type: Single-Family Residence
Task: Architecture, New Construction, and Interior Design
Lot Size: 12,700 SF
Built Area: 4,800 SF
Location: Fremont, California
Completion Date: March 2025
Photography by: Adam Potts
Site and Context
Discovering the Potential Situated on a 12,670 SF lot, the Washington Residence capitalizes on the unique attributes of its site. Tucked into a flag lot and encircled by neighboring homes, this residence finds its spaciousness not from the edges, but from within. This home is a reflection of our values; spatially generous, materially quiet, and deeply rooted in the rhythm of family life.
From Dream to Design The Washington Residence began with a clear vision: to create a family sanctuary that fosters connections to nature while providing modern comfort. A south-facing courtyard became the centerpiece of this vision, allowing light to permeate the home and providing an intimate outdoor space shielded from the surrounding neighborhood. Flexibility was another cornerstone of the design. The home includes adaptable spaces, such as a fully accessible ground floor for aging family members and multi-purpose rooms that cater to the family’s evolving needs. These thoughtful touches ensure the home grows with its occupants, providing comfort and functionality for years to come.
Architectural Solutions
Solving Complex Challenges The architectural design of the Washington Residence is a testament to problem-solving and creative innovation By carving out space for a central courtyard, every room benefits from natural light and outdoor access. This layout is adapted to the narrow lot’s constraints, maximizing usable space while adhering to setback requirements. To address zoning limitations that restrict homes to two stacked levels, we integrated the structure with the site’s natural slope. This resulted in a three-tiered design that offers distinct zones for private, social, and utility spaces without compromising on functionality or aesthetics.
The beauty of restraint: There’s something timeless about a home made simple, yet elevated through touch and texture. Creamy limestone grounds the home in stillness and weight, while hand-raked stucco lends a quiet movement, transforming a humble surface into something unexpectedly fresh. It’s in these details that the architecture breathes.
Interior Design
The Great Room: At the heart of the home, the Great Room hums with everyday life. We shaped the kitchen island to feel like a quiet table, unfussy, grounding, essential. Around it, life unfolds: homework spreads across the breakfast nook, laughter spills from the courtyard, and the rhythm of daily rituals finds its place beneath a single roof.
” Good architecture doesn’t shout. It settles. It invites. It holds space…”
Upon entry, the home unfolds with quiet formality. The home office, formal living room and dining room span the first half of the main level. These public-facing rooms create a gracious welcome, offering space to gather without revealing the private quarters beyond. It’s a soft progression from social to secluded, from threshold to retreat.
A suite with a sunrise soul; The primary suite opens onto a private deck that spans both the bedroom and bath, a place where morning light pours in and the threshold between interior and nature softens. Throughout the upper level, this quiet continuity with the outdoors becomes a recurring note: calming, grounding, essential.
Detail and highlights
Bhanu, Owner