The Eichler Opportunity
At INTERSTICE we love California Modern’s deep tradition of open simplicity, fluidity of space, and clear elegant structure, that is perhaps best characterized by the design boom of post-war housing across the entire mid-century period during its expansionist development. Joseph Eichler, a prolific 20th century California developer inspired by modernist architects such as Richard Neutra and Frank Lloyd Wright, was able to bring quality affordable architecture to millions of Californian families. These ubiquitous single-family dwellings were more than just homes, they were a way of living; iconic designs that merged interiors with exteriors. They have become synonymous with the California lifestyle
Reversing the Sprawl
The suburban legacy these homes created was unfortunately a low-density “sprawl”, outwards from the metropolitan areas, and with them came extended infrastructure and new roadways in an outward dispersal of resources and energy, but that may not be the end of the story. … Due to their simple open and elegant structure, clear core to peripheral planning, and expansive open-glazed spans – they are also easily converted and expanded. INTERSTICE was asked to tackle the Eichler in the Marin County suburbs and found an opportunity to leverage new ADU legislation and state tax incentives to help turn around the negative legacy of sprawl and densify the suburbs one Eichler at a time.
Case Study E-1
Our first Eichler became a Case Study for our team (“Eichler#1”), for us to see what opportunities there were for this classic California building typology. The owner’s young family was evolving. They hoped to modernize and renovate over the next ten years, as children grew and matured, aging parents needed support, and extra room and revenue became paramount. We realized this larger home could serve more than just one purpose. Through good design it could be made better: more flexible, more functional, and intensified to serve these new 21st-century needs.
Fractal Living
Looking at the spiral unfolding from public to private space typical of the Eichler plan disposition, from garage and entry, the home naturally moves from the most public of spaces at its core, towards more and more private spaces. We discovered these outer areas to be fractal-like in their ability to become new “accessory micro-dwelling units” in their own right. Keeping the material palette simple and circulation to a minimum, extra bedrooms and dens become new semi-detached homes, designed with direct access to private exterior space; now designed to be completely functionally independent from the original Core Main Home.
What Was One – Is Now Three
The three-bedroom home with den is Converted in Phase 1: To a 1-bedroom ADU + 3-bedroom main home. Phase 2: Creates a second 1-bedroom ADU bracketing the original now 1-bedroom main home. All 3 homes have their private entry, associated yards, and access to a shared garage with a central workshop and off-street storage. The once “Single-family Home” becomes a three, smaller home community, all on the same site, with minimum investment, and little to no expansion to the envelope. With the first phase complete, and the new exterior kitchen installed Phase 2 is that much closer to realization in the next five years. An affordable conversion that triples the density of each parcel without consuming more land or resources. We see it as an Eichler win-win.
Main House:
Exterior Views:
Accessory Dwelling Unit:
