Size: 5500 sq. ft.

Program: Design a four-bedroom home on five levels (including basement and lofts). The clients lived in a house on the site for several years, but decided not to renovate; it was easier and more cost-effective to tear down the structure and rebuild.

Specific requirements:

• Open living space, connecting the interior experience with the surrounding outside environment.
• Chef's kitchen open to other living areas.
• Large music studio at the ground level for large instrument access.
• Indoor pool with special attention paid to security, safety and ease of use.
• Unique bedrooms for each of the three children.

We maximized the potential of the site within the client budget by spending a lot of time on preliminary site analysis. Built into the side of a ravine, the new home takes full advantage of the views, while preserving privacy from neighboring houses and the street. Masses collide, spinning outward from the central staircase to create a living sculpture in the woods. This aggressive design was made possible through the use of 3D computer modeling that allowed the client to experience the house prior to construction. The design process made it easy to overcome challenges posed by the narrow site, budget constraints, and the clients' geographic distance from our office.