This Wood-and-Glass Wonder is Like a Cottage in the City

Remember that impressive, expansive house built on lava rock we wrote about a few months ago? That was designed by the accomplished folks at Craig Steely Architecture.

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Amazing home, yes — but in case you were looking for something a bit more urban, they’re also the masterminds behind this San Francisco stunner.

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Situated on a staggering slope above Dolores Park, it’s clean and contemporary with a few inflections of retro modernism.

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The architects overcame the structural challenge of building on a sloped site by creating a cast-in-place concrete garage that cuts into the hillside, with a spectacular three-story glass tower on top. This reduced the amount of excavation that would have been typically necessary, barely altering the landscape and natural hillside drainage.

Given the sizeable amount of glass, the architects’ worked with a local milling shop to create 90 solid wood louvres to regulate privacy. The wood came from Monterey Cypress trees that were cleared out due to nearby construction of a then-new on-ramp to the Golden Gate Bridge.

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The use of timber is continued through to the statement garage door, underlining the contrast between wood and glass.

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Images: Bruce Damonte / Craig Steely Architects