Palo Alto Residence, San Francisco Real Estate, California, New California Home, Architecture Photos

Palo Alto Residence in California

Modern San Francisco Area Residence, California, USA – design by Studio VARA

Jul 4, 2019

Palo Alto Residence

Design: Studio VARA

Location: Palo Alto, Santa Clara County, California, USA

A young couple approached Studio VARA to design a new ground-up residence for their busy family of five on a prominent yet petite corner lot in Old Palo Alto.

With a generous program and a limited allowable footprint, they challenged the architects to create a small, flexible home with a large presence.

To solve this puzzle, we conceived of the house as a Rubik’s Cube of tightly interlocking spaces that expand outward into a landscape of intimate yet generous outdoor rooms.

To break up the massing and achieve lightness within a compact, rectilinear envelope, we used distinct materials to articulate three stacked volumes that shift and recede from sight as they move up: concrete for the basement, wood at the main level, and dark zinc for the top floor.

The main level is lifted slightly above grade, allowing deep light wells to penetrate underground and provide light and air to a full basement. Carefully considered window placement adds ornament and rhythm to the façade.

Inside, sumptuous materials and sophisticated detailing make the home feel large and luxurious. Uninterrupted floor-to-ceiling glass walls allow the outdoors and daylight to penetrate the house and maximize sightlines to achieve a feeling of spaciousness. Elegant, carefully considered cabinetry and built-ins in the kitchen and entertaining areas on the main level ensure that the open plan does not feel loft-like.

A sculptural steel stair set against a continuous stone-slab wall anchors the entire house and unifies the three levels. Upstairs, the master suite and bedrooms are strategically organized to ensure privacy and views outside.

Studio VARA provided a full range of services to weave the architecture, interiors, furnishings, and landscape into a seamless, integrated whole.

Palo Alto Residence, California – Building Information

Architects: Studio VARA

Photography: Matthew Millman Photography

Palo Alto Residence in San Francisco, California images / information received 040719 from v2com newswire

Location: Palo Alto, Santa Clara County, California, USA

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