Craig Steely Architecture

Pam & Paul’s House

Pam & Paul’s House
© Darren Bradley

PAM & PAUL'S HOUSE

Craig Steely Architecture

STRUCTURAL ENGINEER
Val Rabichev

CONTRACTOR
Forsythe General Contractors

GLAZING
Bonelli Windows and Doors

MANUFACTURERS
B&B Italia, Emeco, Hafele, Hansgrohe, Axor Urquiola, Vintage Bose 909

PHOTOGRAPHS
Darren Bradley

AREA
3000 ft²

YEAR
2016

LOCATION
Cupertino, united states

CATEGORY
Houses

Text description provided by architect.

The house floats in the canopy of a dense oak grove in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains just west of Silicon Valley.

Pam & Paul’s House
© Darren Bradley
Pam & Paul’s House
© Darren Bradley

The conceptual idea came clearly and quickly—float a glass box in the leaves of the trees on two trunk-like columns, disrupting as few oaks as possible.

The dense tree canopy offers the opportunity to build a complete glass-walled house, protected from the direct rays of the sun, yet filled with dappled sunlight.

Pam & Paul’s House
© Darren Bradley
Pam & Paul’s House
© Darren Bradley
Pam & Paul’s House
© Darren Bradley

A bridge of steel grating connects grade to the rooftop of native grasses.

An observation deck sits in the grass field along with a garage/foyer of zinc panels and mirror glass.

Sunlight funnels down through the foyer into the living level.

Pam & Paul’s House
© Darren Bradley
Pam & Paul’s House
© Darren Bradley

The main living area is cantilevered into the tree canopy while bedrooms, bathrooms, service, and storage are located behind a long wall of cabinetry along the hillside.

Distinct spaces (the living room, the office, and the kitchen) are delineated spatially in the open plan by sinking them into the concrete floor.

Pam & Paul’s House
© Darren Bradley
Pam & Paul’s House
© Darren Bradley

These spaces are further delineated by a material. In the sunken office, all surfaces— flooring, desk, cabinetry— are milled from a single slab of Chinese pistachio.

The sunken living room is filled with 144 sq. ft. of B&B Italia’s “Tufty time” sofa components.

Pam & Paul’s House
© Darren Bradley
Pam & Paul’s House
© Darren Bradley

In the kitchen/dining room, a 22 ft long counter of white composite quartz continues the kitchen work surface into the dining table.

In the ceiling, flush mounted LED strips to imply these zones. Strong geometric lines of light, reminiscent of a Dan Flavin sculpture, are clearly visible from the outside looking up through the leaves.

Pam & Paul’s House
© Darren Bradley


Pam & Paul’s House
© Darren Bradley
Pam & Paul’s House
© Darren Bradley
Pam & Paul’s House
© Darren Bradley
Pam & Paul’s House
© Darren Bradley
Pam & Paul’s House
© Darren Bradley
Pam & Paul’s House
© Darren Bradley


Pam & Paul’s House
Section


Pam & Paul’s House
Main Level Plan
Pam & Paul’s House
Entrance Level Plan

Craig Steely Architecture
T +1 415 8647013
Craig Steely Architecture
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