Our clients, a retired couple and very active, had been living outside of Chicago where many mornings they would set-off from the front porch on a cross-country ski outing or a hike in the woods depending upon the weather. They traveled frequently for leisure and to visit family here and abroad.

Looking to be closer to family, they set their sights on moving to the San Francisco Bay Area and purchased a large site atop a hill with impressive views of the San Francisco Bay Area lights at night and the Packard Foundation Orchard by day. The grounds included mature fruit and maple trees, flowering plants and shrubs.

Our initial design efforts responded to the Owner’s request for a modern-styled home with a semi-open plan, similar to their previous home. Subsequent design iterations infused a minimalist design with a Tuscan-styled architecture that evoked sentiments of Italy where they were born and raised.