2808 Adeline Street after completion
interior of residential unit 3, looking out to rear deck
bathroom of residential unit
exterior view of commercial unit 4
custom shelves from salvaged car windows
venetian plaster bathroom of unit 4
exterior of residential units
tailgate railing at rear deck
2808 Adeline Street in Berkeley was a 2 1/2-story, 2-unit Victorian and an adjacent 1-story retail building that we renovated in an ecologically sensitive manner. The completed work, a mixed-use property with two ground level commercial units and two residential units above, maintains and embellishes the character of the original house by using salvaged material and dramatically restructuring some of the spaces. For example, we lifted the existing residential building an entire story to add a second commercial unit at the ground floor and in the top unit we opened four rooms together to create a large, sun-filled living space and put the bathroom in a former closet under the eaves.
Our ecological design and construction process and our commitment to recycling and reuse figured prominently in the renovation of 2808 Adeline Street. Aside from our high standards for energy-efficient design and sustainable materials we also recycled “internally” by reusing, in new locations, the doors, windows, trim and siding that were carefully removed and stored during demolition. Functional and whimsical details, often involving salvaged materials, animate the entire project: the kitchen counters and tables are slabs of wood retrieved from storm-downed trees; the pendant lights are custom made from French vinegar bottles; and a variety of automobile components, from rear-view mirrors to hatchbacks, are used for benches, shelves, railings and awnings.
Recognition for 2808 Adeline Street:
Named a 2001 Top Ten Green Project by the AIA/COTE
Sunset Magazine 2001 Western Home Award July/August 2002
Featured in Environmental Design+Construction, May/June 2001
January 26, 2000 San Francisco Chronicle article titled "'Green' House Effects"
Natural Home cover and article titled "A New Lease"
March 2003 Fine Homebuilding article titled "Rescued from the Junkyard"
