OAKLAND HILLS HOUSE - 1997

ARCHITECTURE:

Stephen MacCracken (Principal)
Christine Laing

CONTRACTOR:

Praxis Construction

CONSULTANTS:

Santos & Urrutia (Structural)
Ron Archer Civil Engineer (Civil)
Enersys Solutions (Energy Consultants)

PHOTOGRAPHY:

Claudio Santini
Allen Geller

Sited on an Oakland hillside that was stripped of its history and vegetation by the 1991 fire, the Oakland Hills House was imagined outside of any suburban context, and was shaped instead by its topography and its view. We took advantage of the sloping site to remove the garage down the hill. Approaching the house, one sees only the main entry, which is accessed across a narrow bridge, intensifying awareness of the hillside. The home interior is loft-like: the social spaces open up to each other, and to the view. The house is literally a panoramic camera, a viewing box that celebrates its expansive vista from the San Mateo bridge to the Richmond bridge. This ever-changing image is reflected onto a pair of reflective stainless steel and glass-sheathed walls on the interior.