One of our most challenging projects to date, this project is built on a steep, nearly unbuildable site above the town of Los Gatos. Close proximity to town and stellar views of the valley below along with soaring real-estate values made the high costs of developing this site possible. The site is land-locked with four neighbors and a steep, narrow right-of-way giving access to the road. The neighbors and town itself also presented obstacles to development. Each of the neighbors voiced complaints about some aspect of the project and the town Hillside Development Standards heavily restricted the level of visibility of the new house from below.

Our design strategy involved creating a low-slung two-story house set on the old cut of a limestone quarry. The house steps up the hill with curved roofs blending the house into the forms of the hillside surrounding it. The house also steps in plan with three primary rectangles, each one stepped back a little to follow the contours lines of the site. Inside, the curved roofs break at interior walls yielding clearstory windows giving views up the hill.