Accretion

This is a house in Santa Fe that I have been involved with for many years. There is evidence that the older adobe structure was created in several stages, but when I arrived on the scene it consisted of a single story volume with small adobe rooms on two levels, and a shed addition on the back containing a bathroom and an additional bedroom. Since then, we have opened up the interior walls to maximize the interior space, added a second story with a deck, punched several new windows into the shed at the back, and now, finally, we are doing the sun room which is shown here under construction. A final color coat of stucco will unify all the parts, and we will probably extend the deck around the back over the old shed eventually (there are great views).  But this house has the kind of integrity that gradual, well thought out construction based on need produces. This look of accretion is often sought after in residential design, but here is the real deal in perhaps 7 or 8 phases. Tough to imitate, and why would you want to? Just start small and build as needed.