Wheeler Design Build | Residence 651 - Wheeler Design Build

Residence 651

Residence 651: First Love

I think that this project, Residence 651, more than any other thus far, demonstrates my dedication to the work and my ability to successfully take-on and complete long-term as well as shorter termed multiple-phased remodels and new constructions.

My Parents purchased this run-down 100+ years old craftsman home in Oakland, CA. in 1985. It had suffered what appeared to be 50 years of neglect. Piece by piece, my father and I, with crucial assistance from a network of very talented and dedicated subs and tradesmen, have repaired, remodeled and renovated the entirety of the structure.

Residence 651, Wheeler Design Build

Due to the complexity of the number of people that have lived in the structure during the remodel phases and the limited budget, this project’s scope had spanned the course of over 15 years. Early foundation and brick masonry work were completed while I was in High School. Later removal and repair of the cedar shingles, doors, windows, soffit, roofing and woodwork was initiated during a summer break from my University and completed by my father that fall.

Residence 651, Wheeler Design Build

The design for the kitchen and remaining interior remodel was an intense collaborative project between my parents and I that began in earnest during my first couple years at The University of Texas at Austin School of Architecture. We agreed on a concept of a master plan to orchestrate the phases of the remodel to ensure the fluidity and inhabitability of the home and maintain a continuity of the design. This allowed us to start the major remodel in a more flexible and sometimes non-linear manner and enabled us to prepare for subsequent phases while walls, ceilings and floors were exposed.

Residence 651, Wheeler Design Build

Residence 651, Wheeler Design Build