The Hillside House construction in the hills of Mill Valley California, right in opposite the famous Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco. Hillside House designed by SB Architects. The Hillside House is a unique home custom home in Marin County, and one of only a handful in Northern California.
Designed by Scott Lee, majority partner at SB Architects, as his personal residence every inch of this home has been designed in direct response to the site, trees and views. Carved into a steep hillside, and set amid towering oaks, this house is first and foremost a response to the site. The four-story home steps back into the hillside, working its way around the trees, driven by the views, and defined by the intimate relationship between indoors and out. Consequently, this home lives far larger than its actual footprint, but with an impact that is far less.
Private and living zones are set on their own floors, every space has its own private terrace, and every window embraces the views. Built on an infill lot close to town, the house is designed to maximize solar orientation for the photovoltaic panels, passive heating and cooling. Local availability, recycled content and sustainable production drove the selection of each material, appliance and detail. The four-story home – clad with beautiful, sustainable Western Red Cedar siding – is set on a steep hillside site that provides for a very vertical design with living and private zones situated on multiple separate floors. Numerous outdoor and covered terraces and balconies capitalize on stunning views of the bay and the San Francisco skyline beyond.