A new residence for a young couple with a growing family, this design features a dramatic glass-floored bridge flying above the ground floor's cathedralled living and family room volumes. On the upper level, this bridge connects the kids rooms at one end of the house with the master suite at the other. Between the kids rooms at one end is a Japanese bath, complete with soaking tub and "wet room" where this bi-racial family can bathe communally in the traditional style.

This energy-conscious couple allowed us to design the main volume as a naturally vented thermosiphoned space, with cool air admitted on the ground level and hot summer air vented from high windows reached from the bridge.

In winter, the floors throughout are warmed with hydronic radiant heat in the subfloors. Further energy conscious features include HRV whole house ventilator fans, and closed cell spray foam insulation, which achieves R values far above the building code requirement.