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VALDES RESIDENCE UPPER FLOOR ADDITION, 2008
Tacoma, Washington
Mark R. Blubaugh, architect

We are architects who excel at making efficient use of available space and designing residential floor additions. This small residence addition benefitted from our architectural experience with these challenges. The owner, a real estate agent, wanted to convert their old residence from a marginal duplex back into a single family residence with a more appealing layout.  Our architectural design removes an existing, tall attic over the kitchen and uses the space for a new master bedroom and bathroom.  An existing bedroom with an un-usable layout and lacking a legal exit window became a new walk-in closet.  The old un-usable bedroom closet was enlarged to make a useful hall closet.  The new master bathroom has a double bowl lavatory.  Our architectural design includes a new roof over the remainder of the kitchen which has a hip roof matching the front porch roof, making it appear the back of the house is original.  The kitchen now follows an open plan with generous south-facing windows for light and natural heating.  A fabric awning over the windows prevents over-heating in summer.  An inadequate ground floor bathroom is replaced by a new full bathroom with laundry.

Major Considerations: Because the property was an investment property, the design needed to achieve the objectives as inexpensively as possible.  The addition needed to be supported by the existing basement wall about four feet in from the north exterior wall because the existing north foundation was under-sized and would not be able to support a second floor.  The ground floor needed to be strengthened to resist the wind and earthquake forces generated by the second floor addition.  The existing upper floor walls are 3/4 height with a partially vaulted ceiling approach.  Our new architectural design provides functional space working with the existing roof geometry so the addition looks original.