Project Description
The site is long in the north-south direction and slopes down to the street towards the north. A stream cuts across the northern portion of the site, near the street, and the associated buffer prevented construction on the front half of the property. The extreme topography of the south end prevents the house from being too far back on the property. The design response is a compact L-shaped scheme that creates a courtyard between the house and hillside. Because of the tight footprint, not all public spaces were able to fit on the ground level. Therefore, an informal den is located on the upper level and a stair connecting the living room to this den dominates the expression of the front elevation. Despite large openings to the exterior throughout the public spaces, the design affords privacy within.