golden gate view

Terry + Terry Architecture designed this modern house in San Francisco with a shared language of simple materials and clean detailing because they believed that this aesthetic creates the warmth and calmness essential for a family in an urban setting. The Architects created the main floor at garden level which contains the common spaces, balcony, living room, kitchen/dining and outdoor living spaces. A sloping roof planes hover above and are contained between the longitudinal concrete walls. Large glazed openings in the front and rear of the house create transparency between indoor and outdoor spaces. The lower portion of the dwelling holds the less public spaces such as the guest room, children’s playroom, and utilities. A roof deck is inserted by the Architects at the top of the house which functions as a continuation of the garden living space. A detached garden studio is located at the rear of the property. This small satellite structure serves as a home office, and as additional family space. Concrete is used because it provides thermal mass for energy efficiency. The concrete absorbs heat energy during the day, keeping the interior comfortable, and helping to maintain a moderate, baseline temperature for the cooler evenings. Since the house is located in a relatively dense urban area, the concrete walls also add protection against fire. Transparent glass and wood-skinned walls are used between the perimeter concrete walls. The wooden walls allows ventilation between the skin and the underlying wall thus avoiding heat build up in the wall and interior spaces.