To allude to the nearby ocean, the architects designed a seaweed patterned for the interior of the garage door (seen here raised). It successfully reads like a leather padded wall and makes “the cube” feel that much more customized.

The new master bathroom also benefits from its position along the canted exterior wall. The couple initially envisioned a tub for the space, but realized during the design process that it would pose a functional challenge when paired with a push-out casement window. Bringing in valuable light and air, the casement window remained in the final design, while the tub was changed to a shower. The geometric bathroom features a custom walnut vanity by the Building Workshop, ash porcelain tile floor, and Modwalls Lush glass wall tile.

The couple is eager to host a party with Diego’s band after the pandemic to take full advantage of the new deck and its amphitheater-like seating.

In order to transform the structure from its original state to something more modern, Rice and his team stripped away the existing Spanish-style roof and selected clean new stucco to create a blank canvas to work from. He calls the new facade a “study in composition,” with windows punched out from the walls in geometric patterns and corrugated metal sheets weaved into the overall theme to add a distinctly urban feel.

When the team chose to preserve the function of the rolling garage door, it proved to be one of the biggest design challenges of the project. Says Garcia, “We didn’t want it to roll back into the new living space because it would limit our lighting options for the room.” Thus, an unconventional exterior-track rolling door was conceptualized that would not cut into the interior volume. In the backyard that was preserved in the remodel, an olive tree provides natural shade. Maintaining the outdoor area was especially important to the kids as a play area, and Anthony, an avid cook and gardener.

It’s a Family Affair A pair of brothers built a LEED-certified home in San Diego for all three of the generations in their family. Photos by: Ye Rin Mok

The front facade of the home shows the two-story addition seamlessly integrated with the original single-level ranch house. Patterns and details in the new structure were thoughtfully chosen to complement design elements from the original remodel. The concrete stem wall of the garage addition was laid out in a parquet pattern similar to the plywood parquet at the front entrance. The fine sand stucco finish creates visual cohesion between the two structures.

The staircase leads from the living room to an exterior balcony, where a second spiral staircase leading to the rooftop balcony was painted bright tangerine orange. The roof deck spans the entire footprint of the home.

One of the client’s main requests for the home was a large pool to replace the existing asphalt backyard. Artist Nate Schnell painted a second mural in this area to add color and energy.

Georgina, Diego, and their two children, 10-year-old Nicoletta and seven-year-old Arturo.

Salk Institute for Biological Studies, designed by Louis I. Kahn, photographed in 1977. Gelatin silver print. Carnegie Museum of Art, Purchase: gift of the Drue Heinz Trust. Image courtesy of Carnegie Museum of Art, copyright Ezra Stoller/Esto, Yossi Milo Gallery.

The main living room, located near the front door, features a striking two-story glass garage door that opens the interior spaces to the outdoor dining area. The original house was very dark, so the new plans involved as many windows as possible to break down the barriers between the indoor and outdoor spaces. “Even when [the garage door] is closed, it’s still very bright and helps open the house to the outdoors,” Rice says. “It was basically an easy way to eliminate a wall entirely.”

In addition to a rooftop patio, the second floor also features a private balcony space.

Loft-like features are used throughout the first floor interior space, including raw polished concrete floors, exposed beams (one of the few elements of the existing home that were preserved), and diamond-plate steel cladding on the floating staircase.

In the outdoor dining room, wire chairs by Harry Bertoia for Knoll surround a mango wood table made by a local carpenter, Diego Madrazo.

Harbor Drive San Diego, California Safdie Rabines Architects 550 feet This skeletal, sculptural structure in downtown San Diego connects trolley tracks to Petco Park. Visitors are enticed to the walkway by a glass elevator tower, which showcases the elevator’s inner workings as it ascends to the steel-and-concrete bridge. The curve of the crossing, along with the bridge’s iconic spear, ensures varying visual interest from all sides—even from below.

The programming of the garage addition called for a secondary living space and laundry room downstairs, new work spaces for both Eliza and Anthony upstairs, and a master suite. “My favorite parts of the home,” says Eliza, “are the ways in which it’s both spacious and open, and yet also allows you to close off sections of the house from other sections. The kids can be running around crazy downstairs and you can be upstairs and not hear a thing.” Downstairs, the kitchen and dining room from the original home are linked to the new addition by pocket doors with the same color and motif as the front entry door. Both doors are dotted with clear plexiglass rods in a diagonal pattern. The new living space features a Bensen sofa, Crate & Barrel Ditto Cube table, and Luceplan Agave ceiling light fixture.

Petco Park — 100 Park Blvd., petcoparkevents.com

The bedroom’s new height allows for a loft space above the walk-in closet; Diego uses the area for his instruments. The main bathroom is to the back left.

What was once a dull asphalt driveway with sporadic, overgrown foliage was morphed into a large, welcoming social area in the front entryway. A reflecting pool was carved out of the earth. Extensive landscaping makes the area more appealing to visitors. The corrugated metal used on the facade—a nod to the owner’s original desire to use repurposed shipping containers—was painted electric green underneath the cantilevered front porch roof, and blue for the side fencing that surrounds an outdoor dining area, to keep the color palette upbeat and fun.

The bathroom. Austin sourced most of the materials from Architectural Salvage of San Diego.

The owner wanted an interior scheme that felt loft-like, so Rice and his team carved out the double-height space from the second floor to create the entryway aviary. The garage door feature adds urban grit to the space. “We made it seem less like an actual garage door and more like a panel that just slides straight up,” Rice says.

San Diego Convention Center Expansion by Fentress Civitas.

The outdoor space located just beyond the garage door acts as an outdoor dining area. The cantilevered roof from the front of the building angles to cover this space, with recessed heaters embedded into the metal. Local artist Nate Schnell, a friend of the client, designed the mural. “Side yards tend to be leftover space, but this one had a width that presented a great opportunity to repurpose the space,” Rice says. “It makes the whole house feel so much bigger because it doesn’t just stop at that garage wall. The perception goes all the way to the property line.”

"Most of us overlap on informal and formal ventures all the time," Benson says. "I'm currently working on some pro-bono work with one of the downstairs neighbors on design research. The parking lot serves as a living laboratory at times as well."

San Diego Convention Center Expansion by Fentress Civitas.

"Before" shots of the exteriors.

"Before" shots of the interior.

Homeowner and interior designer Julie Crosby worked with developer Soheil Nakhshab to transform a rundown midcentury property in the coastal Del Mar neighborhood of San Diego. The 5,400-square-foot, four-bedroom residence incorporates a natural palette and tall windows.

Upstairs, tenants and friends gather outside sculptor Chris Puzio’s apartment.

The existing cottage lap siding was replaced with a rainscreen installation; it does double duty as both moisture control and an elegant aesthetic update.

Convention Center — 111 West Harbor Dr., visitsandiego.com

The courtyard of Louis Kahn's Salk Institute for Biological Studies.

Multifamily Living: The North Parker, an affordable housing project by Jonathan Segal, FAIA, in San Diego consists of 27 units set above four commercial spaces and an outdoor community gathering area.

Perez’s son, Adrian, also helped his dad with the multicolored doors.

San Diego’s main Mormon temple is an unusual building, but architect Aaron Anderson will take unusual over bland any day.