Expanding the view by pulling in the wall - balcony's design

Sunset, May, 1989

Wanting to expand his view of the city by plugging a large window into a solid wall, homeowner Bob Johnson ran up against a San Francisco building code requiring a 3-foot setback of windows from property lines. (The restriction is meant to stop the spread of fires from adjacent dwellings.) Lucinda Schlaffer and Paul Bonacci of ARQ Architects came up with a simple solution. Pulling the exterior wall in 3 feet satisfied code requirements, clearing the way for a window that provides a panoramic view and lots of natural light.

The redwood balcony provides a bit of outdoor living space off the upstairs living room. The architects preserved the view by designing the guardrail of unobtrusive pipe and stainless-steel cable.