Nico's House

An existing 1920’s San Pedro bungalow receives an 1,100 square foot, L-shaped addition creating 1,800-square feet of living space, a private courtyard, and large front yard.

The existing 700-sf bungalow shell was kept intact to preserve non-conforming setbacks at the rear of the property and minimize construction waste. The once 2-bed/1-bath structure is now the Primary suite, guest bath, and laundry. Finish details are more traditional, with moody colors, low ceilings, and cozy nooks.

By contrast, the addition is a series of large-scale modern boxes, housing the attached garage, open-plan living-dining-kitchen, and 2 guest bedrooms. Finishes are modern and brightly colored. Large, glazed sliding doors and windows are set on axis to allow views and breeze from the primary bedroom through courtyard, living room, and front yard. High clerestory windows allow for passive cooling, taking advantage of South-to-North coastal breezes.

The addition is a monolithic-poured slab on grade, with exposed concrete floors. The structure is constructed of Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs), a high-performance building system consisting of an insulating foam core sandwiched between two OSB panels. The six-inch thick walls and 12" thick roof panels result in a building that is extremely strong and energy-efficient, exceeding stringent energy code requirements. The prefabricated panels minimize on-site construction waste and were assembled in 5 days.

Siding on the addition is charcoal-grey stained larch, PEFC-sourced in the Pacific Northwest, and naturally resistant to decay and insects. Vertical lap boards are installed over rainscreen battens with exposed stainless-steel nails for accent.
Siding on the existing bungalow is fiber-cement, made from sustainable raw materials, painted in a lighter gray for contrast.

The landscaping is primarily permeable surfaces - driveway pavers, open joint decking, and gravel filled in with drought-tolerant plantings. Roof gutters and downspouts, and area drains, are diverted underground to a large rain garden to collect and filter on-site stormwater. Drip irrigation is installed throughout the yards on automatic timers.

Composite decking made of 95% recycled plastic and reclaimed sawdust, is installed at the entry and courtyard.

Interior finishes are chosen for reclaimed and renewable properties. The fireplace surround is a panelized reclaimed wood from agricultural structures, mounted on FSC-certified plywood backers. Countertops are quartz, Greenguard-certified for low chemical emissions. Island wrap is an extruded anodized aluminum.

The exposed glu-lam beam remnant was hollowed out and repurposed for a cantilevered island bar.