A-frame Rarity in Berkeley - Page 2

Indoors, steeply pitched ceilings rise like the surrounding trees, and walls of windows frame breathtaking views, inviting you to leave your cares at the door. A freestanding fireplace warms the living area, with planked wood flooring and mid-century modern butterfly chairs completing the inviting scene.

On the main floor, one bedroom, and a full bath updated with a soaking tub, inspire total relaxation. Behind the fireplace, a wooden staircase leads to the master bedroom and half bath located on the upper floor.

An updated kitchen with stainless-steel appliances retains the home's clean, modern lines, taking advantage of the surrounding beauty and natural setting.

Referred to by the Edificionado real estate brokerage as "the home that created a cultural phenomenon," 1167 Keith was the very first modern A-frame designed and built by Wally Reemelin after the end of World War II.

Wallace 'Wally' Reemelin (1918-2014) was, according to his obituary, an "architect, designer, innovative general and civil engineer, inventor, pilot, entrepreneur, and unrelenting watchdog activist for people's rights." Often credited as one of the originators of the postwar A-frame phenomenon, "It was his desire to create a new type of low-cost housing that could be assembled quickly for use by students at Cal that led him to his novel design," per Edificionado.

Riding high on its appeal, affordability, and adaptability to be constructed on difficult sites, A-frame architecture would become an important part of the post-World War II boom, a distinctive style popular with mid-century builders who built it in every variation, from vacation cabins to churches from coast to coast.

One of the earliest homes built in the style is architect Rudolph Schindler's Bennati Cabin built in Lake Arrowhead, California in 1934. Fast-forwarding to 1951, architect John Carden Campbell would famously exhibit a full-size model of his 'Leisure House' at the San Francisco Arts Festival, resulting in a tidal wave of leisure architecture.

"It's very unusual to have an A-frame in an urban setting," says listing agent Caitlin Campbell, and "because it's perched high on the street, it's really a wonderful, tranquil sanctuary. There's also a collection of vintage Buddha statues that really add to the whole feel… making it a meditative retreat."

For more info and photos on 1167 Keith Avenue, click here.