It synthesizes seamless indoor-outdoor spaces and climate-responsive principles seen in nearby iconic regional Eichler homes with the spatial living rituals of Japanese courtyard dwellings.
SITE
Situated on a flat lot in a quiet residential neighborhood near the Apple headquarters, the site is close to the Cupertino Eichler district but directly adjacent to homes in the Spanish Colonial and Mission styles mandated by zoning regulations. The opportunity was embraced to adapt the shared lineage of these local precedents while adhering to strict style requirements to design a new contemporary dwelling.
PROGRAM
The owners imagined their home as a serene, private place for their young family to grow. There are distinct areas for rest and play that are capable of adapting to changing needs with graceful aging in place and multi-generational living. Priorities included a net positive energy home with flexible ground-floor living spaces shielded by private interior-facing courtyards that take advantage of the mild climate. Additional goals were to feature natural materials and thoughtfully positioned built-ins to nest spaces and maximize functionality along circulation.
DESIGN
The stepped massing of the home was directly informed by strict zoning regulations. From the street, white-stucco landscape walls typical of the neighboring Mediterranean-style houses contrast with the black shou sugi ban-clad second-level volume. A slatted wood gate, partially obscured by concrete landscape walls, denotes entry through a small, hidden courtyard. This path leads to the central “genkan” —a recessed transitional space to take off shoes. The inward-facing spaces feature floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors that create seamless access to the intimate courtyard gardens and flood the interior with the day’s changing sunlight.
The living-dining-kitchen spaces run parallel to the rear yard, with a covered “engawa” defining the transition to the outdoors. This traditional Japanese porch hovers above the ground, inviting sitting and encouraging sensory engagement with the surroundings. Inside, a series of custom white oak built-ins serve dual function and storage purposes, including a bench built into the back of the kitchen island for the dining table. The result is an informal, bustling hub filled with the warm tones of wood, natural clay plaster, and views into the outdoor spaces.
Adjacent to the genkan entry, the central skylit stairwell serves as a sculptural focal point of discovery and delight, channeling and bending light into the home from above. It is carefully detailed to serve as a passive venting, stack-effect chimney and discreetly hosts the home’s mechanical systems. The compact upper floor includes the primary suite with a slate-clad “wet room” featuring an Ofuro wood Japanese soaking tub, as well as the secondary bedrooms for the children, each with its own loft to maximize space and play.
PERFORMANCE
The house is exceeding net zero energy targets through on-site solar generation with battery storage, supplementing cost-optimized Passive House strategies to reduce operational energy, and includes:
