History: This project is the second design for a speculative single-family house on an unusually configured lot. Despite receiving preliminary planning approval for the first proposal (the Double Bar House), the client requested a complete re-working of the project in the interests of accommodating seemingly irreconcilable design directives. These included the developer's desire for a relatively large square footage maximizing the panoramic views of San Francisco, the neighbors' insistence on a 'stealth structure' that would not block the dramatic views they enjoy, and an anomalous mid-block condition that makes atypical demands regarding the distribution of open space.

Strategy: The T typology addresses the predicament of the building parcel s mid-block location, creating two courtyards and a rear yard open space that respond to adjacent properties open space patterns while maximizing the use of the lot s buildable area. In order to create a stealth structure that preserves the neighboring buildings views, the T is embedded deeply in the ground of the steeply sloping lot. From the vantage point of the street, two thirds of the bulk of the building is concealed, whereas the entirety of the form is revealed on the opposite side as the sloping ground falls away, resulting in the full exposure of the house toward the view.

Status: the house sold for $5.3 million upon completion in October, 2005.