Wunderkammer
The inspiration for the remodel of this San Francisco Victorian came from an unlikely source –the owner’s modern-day cabinet of curiosities, brimming with jars filled with preserved aquatic body parts and specimens. Through a series of subtle moves, this room now becomes the heart of the home, with glimpses into the remarkable collection a constant presence from every vantage point. A partially translucent glass wall and shelving system protects the collection and divides the owner’s study from the adjacent family room. The pattern on the glass (derived from the genetic code of a harbor seal) allows the owner and his specimens to peek out from the office –and allows his young children to occasionally peek in while he works.
The most noteworthy thing about this typical San Francisco Victorian was just how much damage an enthusiastic remodeler can do to a once-elegant space, leaving behind a dark jumble of isolated rooms and nonsensical uses. But on second look, we discovered a key to unraveling the potential of the space in an unlikely place –the temporary home office that the new owner, a Senior Curator for the Steinhart Aquarium at the California Academy of Sciences, had commandeered at the center of the plan. Please contact us for more detailed information.
