1.
AIA Santa Clara Valley
325 S. First St., Suite 100
San Jose, CA 95113
(408) 298-0611
http://aiascv.org/?HomeTours
AIA South Bay Home Tours Information
Architect: Bohlin Cywinski Jackson| San Francisco, CA
Project: House for a Structural Engineer
• Size of the house: 3,500 s.f.
• Size of the site: 0.3 acres
• Year of construction: 2008
• Project type: single family, new construction
• Architect of Record: Bohlin Cywinski Jackson
• Project Design Lead: Gregory R. Mottola, FAIA
• Project Design team: George Bradley, AIA; Brian Padgett, RA; Victor Chu;
Priyanka Mara, RA
• Lanscape Architect: Anke Jurleit
• General Contractor: Louis Ptak Construction Inc.
• Structural Engineer: Owner
• Civil Engineer: Lester Ikegami
• Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing: CB Engineers
• Awards/honors: 2012 - Merit Award, AIA East Bay, Exceptional Residential: Bay Area
Regional Design Awards; 2010 - Honor Award, AIA Santa Clara Valley
Notable Award, Live Category, International Interior Design Association (IIDA); 2009 -
Citation of Merit Award for Design, AIA Pennsylvania
• Major Finish Materials;
Exterior: bluestone, an Ipe wood and steel slatted wall
Interior: maple floors, wood floors

2.
AIA Santa Clara Valley
325 S. First St., Suite 100
San Jose, CA 95113
(408) 298-0611
http://aiascv.org/?HomeTours
• Significant Energy Efficient Devices or Strategies: Solar hot water panels provide all of
the domestic hot water needed for the house. Photovoltaic panels on the roof
generate enough electricity to feed back into the grid, while radiant flooring produces
efficient heating in the winter.
• Significant Sustainability Features: Passive and active environmental strategies
integrate goals of reduction and conservation of resources into the design of the
home. Operable transom windows along the courtyard opposite low windows on the
outside walls provide natural cross ventilation. Exposed structural systems reducing the
quantity of interior finish materials.
• Interesting Structural Strategies or Problem Solving: The rigorous, honest expression of
the building’s structure is a central design feature of this house.
All the public spaces
connect directly to the central yard, and the hallway leading to all the bedrooms runs
along it as well, making everyone’s comings and goings visible. The two side walls are
reinforced by a giant X of slender tension rod braces, the most attractive lightweight
solution, and the wall facing the entry is similarly braced. An exposed galvanized steel
post and beam structure organizes the open volumes into more intimate spaces,
defines interior circulation, and supports the timber rafters above. Expressive braced
frames assembled from cruciform steel columns and delicate steel rods reinforce the
perimeter glazing, maximizing framed views to the inner court. The architect and
couple chose bolted connections of steel columns, rather than welded ones, and
decided to leave the nuts and bolts that hold the structure together exposed,
providing the space with the satisfying sense of being in a massive Erector set.
• Special or Extensive Owner Involvement in the Process: Owner did the structural
engineering on the house himself and the clients were also vital design contributors.
• Special Design Problem(s) That Were Solved: Because the site is closely hemmed in by
neighboring homes, the architects at BCJ proposed a courtyard house. It is organized
around a central reflecting pool and courtyard bound on three sides by tall glass walls.
• Misc.: The house is furnished with a number of authentic “mid-century modern” pieces
of furniture. Designers & manufacturers of furniture:
Living Room Womb Chair: Eero Saarinen for Knoll
Eames Molded Plastic Armchair with Rocker Base: Charles and Ray Eames for Herman
Miller
Eames Molded Plywood Coffee Table: Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller

3.
AIA Santa Clara Valley
325 S. First St., Suite 100
San Jose, CA 95113
(408) 298-0611
http://aiascv.org/?HomeTours
Eames LCM Chair: Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller
Cabinetry: Gurrey Fine Cabinets
Kitchen Appliances: Gaggenau
Bathroom Fixtures: Dornbracht
Automated S400 Washlet Toilet: Toto