The openness of this simple floor plan fosters a sense of intimacy with free-flowing spaces that extend one’s perceptions out into the natural surroundings.

Project Description

This single-family residence is the second completed house in a planned quartet of homes developed in the Oakland hills. The homes share a similar spatial concept, materials palette and detailing that lends these homes the feeling of a small community, blending harmoniously and naturally into the hill on which they sit. The main level features the public spaces, a covered front balcony, an open rear outdoor terrace and the master bedroom wing. The openness of this simple floor plan fosters a sense of intimacy with free-flowing spaces that extend one’s perceptions out into the natural surroundings. A broad horizontal roof floats above, providing a sheltering and unifying presence.

The lower level of this home provides a 2-car garage and children’s bedroom wing; it also integrates the main structural retaining wall. The surrounding base is constructed of structural reinforced brick whose colors and horizontal banding were selected to match the earth.

Project Team

Architecture: Marc Lindsell, 2M Architecture
Interiors: Mark Tetrault, 2M Architecture
Structural: FTF Engineering, Randy Collins S.E.
Civil: Jacobs Engineers, Greg Jacobs P.E.
Geotechnical: PG Soils, Paul Grishaber
Surveyor: Cunha Engineering, Vincent Cunha
Energy analysis: SFG Energy Calcs, Jesse Castillo
General Contractor: Cypress Development, LLC
Photographer: Ken Gutmaker