Altadena Road
Pasadena, California
This project involved the renovation of a single-storey family home in Pasadena, California, previously in a state of disrepair. The clients wished to reimagine the property’s exterior and internal layout in a way that better reflected its setting and climate.
The proposed design includes restored and upgraded external finishes, with the introduction of locally sourced vertical wood siding and a standing seam zinc roof. These material choices lend the home a more contemporary appearance while also helping it to settle naturally within its wooded environment.
Internally, the layout was opened up and reconfigured to form a spacious, light-filled kitchen, dining, and living area with generous ceiling heights. Large sliding doors connect this new social space to the south-west-facing garden, improving natural light and ventilation throughout the day.
Externally, a wood deck and pergola provide a shaded area for outdoor dining and relaxing. These additions allow the clients to manage solar gain and airflow passively, enhancing the comfort and energy performance of the home in the hot Californian climate.
From the client:
"It was such a pleasure working with Timothy of forma architecture. My partner and I have been singing his praises since our project with him to renovate our Southern California home.
We wanted our home to be harmonious with the oak trees on site and foothills neighborhood while being high performance. Timothy was the perfect architect for our renovation because of his familiarity with Passivhaus, background in carpentry (we love natural materials), and clear devotion to thoughtful architecture. But he definitely exceeded our expectations. He's a great listener, he asks the right questions, and he made us feel supported. We felt like he was in our corner in this whole process.
Then on top of that, his designs were excellent. He performed various studies considering things like sunlight and air flow through the home and made changes accordingly with clear communication throughout. The result was a high performance home that would be beautiful and comfortable in all seasons. Timothy has seriously set the bar high for any future projects!"
We wanted our home to be harmonious with the oak trees on site and foothills neighborhood while being high performance. Timothy was the perfect architect for our renovation because of his familiarity with Passivhaus, background in carpentry (we love natural materials), and clear devotion to thoughtful architecture. But he definitely exceeded our expectations. He's a great listener, he asks the right questions, and he made us feel supported. We felt like he was in our corner in this whole process.
Then on top of that, his designs were excellent. He performed various studies considering things like sunlight and air flow through the home and made changes accordingly with clear communication throughout. The result was a high performance home that would be beautiful and comfortable in all seasons. Timothy has seriously set the bar high for any future projects!"
Thinking about a project of your own?
We'd be glad to talk it through.
