The Local Project (May 19, 2023) – Ryan Leidner Architecture thoughtfully renovates a bygone California house into a modern home that is intrinsically connected to its surrounding landscape by incorporating lush greenery into the interior spaces.

Video timeline: 00:00 – Introduction to the California House 00:23 – Renovation of an Eichler Home 00:54 – A Walkthrough of the Home 01:11 – Magical Moments 01:32 – Light Play and Dynanism 01:53 – Feeling Enveloped in the Garden 02:37 – Leaning into the Indoor-Outdoor Connection 03:02 – Working on the Landscape 03:30 – Focusing on A Specific Level of Transparency 04:15 – Rewarding and Proud Moments

Imbued with a tangible sense of transparency, Twin Gable House proposes a more outward, open way of living. Located in Sunnyvale, a suburban neighbourhood 45 minutes south of San Francisco, Twin Gable House sits within a streetscape dominated by single-level, Eichler family homes. The renovation aspired to rejuvenate the midcentury modern-style California house by injecting high design into its somewhat simple, suburban façade.

While most Eichler homes boast flat ceilings, this house benefited from having a twin-gable shape that brings height and openness, undoubtedly setting the tone for the design and direction of the renovation. There is an immediate sense of the outdoors existing within the California house – upon entering through the front door into the atrium space, one is met with an interior garden. Rejecting the idea that homes are a place to be lived inwardly, the outdoor connection continues throughout the home.