I like to call this house the Crescent one, because of the slight arc formed on its roof along the E-Waxis. In a flood zone in Palo Alto, we had to raise this new house quite a bit, but dissimulated that with progressive steps and and ramps and hardscape elements, to better anchor it with the narrow and long lot.
A gently curved eyebrow clerestory element draws the sun path across the day in the middle of the house, bouncing off the rays onto tall walls so to always have indirect light.
A side courtyard, invisible from the front and back yards, gives privacy to the front guest room from the kitchen family room area and provides a respite of open space in the core of the house.
The roof is a continuous plane that unfolds in several directions without a break, just folds, like an origami.
Radiant heating and cooling ceiling panels eliminated the need of any duct-work. Operable upper windows helped with cooling and cross ventilation.
Imported cabinets from Italy provided the modern design without impacting the budget.
Modern can be an act of chiseling volumes, using the infinite vocabulary of geometry, letting light and views in where you least expect them, creating tension between interior volumes. It’s monolithic really, not made of pieces put together, and yet not boxy.