Feldman Architecture completed Fitty Wun, a luxury townhouse in San Francisco that embraces the clients’ “work hard, play hard” approach to life. Built for a family with three energetic young boys, the spacious light-filled abode is undeniably stylish yet still offers plenty of room for play—and a fantastic indoor swing. But one of our favorite features of the three-story home is actually an escape from all that excitement: the green-roofed terrace with sweeping neighborhood views.
An airy atrium flanked by metal-screened stairs occupies the heart of Fitty Wun, filling the narrow building with abundant natural light. The large, light-filled central spaces were a key component to realizing the clients’ desire for a warm and welcoming “panopticon,” a type of surveillance architecture designed by the English philosopher and social theorist Jeremy Bentham. “[It] allows the boys the freedom to be boys while the parents are strategically within ear, if not always eyeshot, to arbitrate, adjudicate and apply basic medical direction,” said the clients.
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The bedrooms are stacked above the communal areas spread out across the first and second floors. Small nooks, like the desk, play, and computer nooks, are inserted throughout the home in contrast to the spacious family-oriented areas. The living room feels roomier still with its connection to the deck and the backyard. The green-roofed terrace, accessible via a diagonal stair atop the atrium, offers respite from the activities below. An acoustically separated office “pod” is also located on the roof.
Images by Joe Fletcher
