Berkeley Mid-Century

We were given the rare opportunity to renovate an iconic mid-century house designed in 1954 by the last living case-study architect, Beverly Thorne. The home had remained in its unmodified state, being sold by the original owner.  Thorne had created large, open, and interlocking spaces using cantilevered steel, CMU blocks, and radiant flooring - advanced construction techniques of the period. Elements of the house remained in disrepair and required surgical intervention to comply with seismic and safety regulations. 

“Studio Terpeluk was hired to help guide the restoration and modernization of a piece of architectural history: Beverly Thorne’s 1959 Adamson House in the Berkeley Hills. Brett worked closely with me, bringing great respect for original design, while also helping to discover ways to improve upon it with minimal alterations.

Each day brought a new appreciation for Throne’s work, and Brett brought new way to solve the problems inherent in any design and restoration project. With a bachelor’s degree in architecture of my own, I could have been Brett’s nightmare client, yet he handled my concerns and design ideas with great sensitivity and professionalism, always listening, always creating, and in the end delivering the best solutions available. With the interior completed, I look forward to working with Studio Terpeluk on the exterior phase of the project.”

Rob Smiley - Client