San Francisco architect John Maniscalco is a master at bringing natural light into the interiors of homes that are narrow or confined by small lot sizes, using windows, mirrors, and skylights to create a sense of openness. Before starting his own practice, Maniscalco (a Cornell graduate) worked in the offices of Gensler, among other firms. His goal is to "produce architecture that is responsive, honest, and well crafted. We focus on the fundamental elements of architecture: quality materials, careful consideration of space and light, and clarity of design from concept to detailing."
To see more of the firm's work, go to John Maniscalco Architecture.
Above: Maniscalco reorganized this Parnassus residence "around a unifying vertical stair core, backed by a wall of glass, flooding all floors with light while providing a vertical spatial connection for the entire house."
Above: A sky-lit two-story interior stair hall in a Dolores Heights residence.
Above: In the San Francisco Cube house, Maniscalco created a two-story atrium, open to the sky, which "allows all areas of the house to partake of the light, air, and landscape (both earth and sky) that this protected garden provides."
Above: This stairwell in a Kentfield residence seems to float in space.
Above: Pacific Avenue residence stairs.
Photos courtesy of John Maniscalco Architecture.