Type/ Residential
Time/ 2021
Client/ Private
Status/ Design

This project is a Mid-Century Modern pool house renovation and outdoor kitchen addition in Norfolk, VA. The pool house was originally designed to serve the neighborhood. Not only it has a plain utility look, especially interior, but also the relationship between pool house and the current main house is weak. The space between the two was underutilized. They love outdoor and entertain. How to integrate the main house outdoor space and the pool area and the location for new outdoor kitchen is critical.

In the new design, the kitchen is strategically located as an extension of the pool house as serving a connector between the main house and the pool area. It also faces to the waterside to take advantage of the beautiful view. By relocating the outdoor shower out of the main path to the angled backs of the pool house, it provides more privacy to shower and revitalize the back side of the pool house. 

Aesthetically, the design respects and enhances the existing MCM features, such as exposed structure elements, tapered beam end, decorative trellis pattern, horizontal composition, etc. and extend them into the new addition. Indoor-outdoor relationship and landscape are also an important feature of the MCM house. The fully open corner of the pool house blurs the indoor/outdoor boundaries and seamlessly flow into the new outdoor kitchen on one direction, and into the pool deck on the other direction.