An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a reno project for a reno project.
That’s the sting that US resident Ross Johnston is feeling, after being ordered by courts to rebuild the house he demolished exactly how it was.
Mr. Johnson was clearly not happy with the design of his modernist home in San Fransisco, designed by famed Austrian architect Richard Neutra.
He had a problem though- the house was heritage listed, meaning that he couldn’t pull his own grand designs scheme on it.
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The building as it originally stood
According to the San Fransisco Chronicle, Mr. Johnston had received permission from courts only to remodel the house, with orders to keep the first floor largely intact.
One demolition derby later, which left only the garage frame standing, Mr. Johnston found himself with some explaining to do.
‘Remodelling’ is in the eye of the beholder, apparently
Mr. Johnson had applied for a permit to build a new three-story structure, which would have “allowed my family of six to move back to San Fransisco.”
“I’ve been stuck in limbo for a year”, he told the tribunal.
Mr. Johnson will not face jail time- but he might have preferred that given the nature of the punishment handed down.
Courts have ordered Mr. Johnson to rebuild the house exactly the way it was and to include a plaque detailing the history of the house, it’s demolition and it’s reconstruction.
Planning Commissioner Kathrin Moore said she was confident that the new home would be “executed beautifully in a way that would be consistent with the home’s original expression “- no pressure on you, Mr. Johnson.
Here’s hoping on Mr. Johsnon’s behalf that housing prices in San Fran aren’t as unstable as Australia’s when it comes to his new grand project.
The house was the first project of Neutra in the bay area. If only he had the foresight to add a few more bedrooms…
Feast your eyes on some of the most noir houses, built by Neutra
