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Located on the bustling street of Mission Boulevard of San Diego with the Pacific Ocean on one side and Mission Bay on the other, this Duplex renovation seeks to create an inviting atmosphere by opening up the kitchen and living areas into one big Great Room. This atmosphere is further extended upward, with multi-level roof decks connected by a spiral stair that leads to a pool container nearly twenty-five feet in the air. With views of the Pacific Ocean and Mission Bay on either side of the pool container, it is the perfect spot to relax after a long day.

Location

San Diego, California

Design Team

Joe Rivers, Kevin Barden and Esmer Leija

Renderings

Rivers Barden Architects

Typology

Residential

Date

2021 - present

Process

Explore

Geodesic Dome Renovation

This renovation of a geodesic dome home includes a new primary suite and bedroom with a view of the forest; a new kitchen with lines of sight and sound to the living and dining areas; as well as new finishes throughout. The home was originally designed and built at the height of the energy crisis in the early 1980s. At the time, the homeowners wanted a “cabin in the woods” close to the city as well as a forward-thinking home that clearly took a position on energy conservation.

David Cedeño

Food and Beverage

In this episode our resident architects Joe Rivers and Kevin Barden visit with David Cedeño, a bartender from Houston, Texas. Bartender David Cedeño has seen it all during the last two decades in the service industry, from basic mixed drinks, to the wine bar craze, to craft beer and the more recent mixology trend. Listening to David talk about his profession, it's clear that to him, crafting cocktails is more of an art form than anything else. Joe and Kevin visit with David about the job of a bartender, the importance of composition, his experience as a painter, and his message for creative types with a passion.

Staff Travel: Mexico City

Writing

Over the past few years, Esmer has made multiple trips to Mexico City. She had the opportunity to visit The Pyramids of Teotihuacan, La Casa Azul de Frida Kahlo and the first Latin-American Architecture Exhibition of Zaha Hadid’s work. The following is a reflective essay of her travels.