Feldman Architecture, Inc.

The Pavilion

The Pavilion
© Joe Fletcher

The Pavilion

Feldman Architecture

CIVIL ENGINEER
TS Civil Engineering

LANDSCAPE
Arterra Landscape Architects

STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING
FTF Engineering

MANUFACTURERS
Autodesk, Boconcept, Castconnex, Cerno, Fleetwood, Morso, Subzero/Wolf, Ecooutdoor, Monarch Plank, Trimble

BUILDER
Groza Construction

PHOTOGRAPHS
Joe Fletcher

YEAR
2018

LOCATION
San José, United States

CATEGORY
Houses

Text description provided by architect.

When our clients purchased a stunning lot nestled among the hills above San Jose, they dreamed of an equally stunning structure that sat lightly on the dramatic hill slope.

The Pavilion
© Joe Fletcher
The Pavilion
© Joe Fletcher

The original building had burned down some years before, leaving behind its foundation and an unnaturally flat plot cut into the hillside.

Our design team, upon initial visits to the site, aimed to construct a home that both made whole the scarred terrain and benefited from the unusually flat land.

The Pavilion
© Joe Fletcher
The Pavilion
© Joe Fletcher

These conditions encouraged our designers to push the house deeper into the hillside, nestling the building naturally into the surrounding landscape.

The result provides sweeping views of San Jose and elevated privacy levels- the house is hidden from public view from all but a few spots, organically blending into the surrounding geography.

The entryway welcomes visitors into its defining feature: a glass pavilion that serves as the home’s great room.

The Pavilion
© Joe Fletcher
The Pavilion
© Joe Fletcher
The Pavilion
© Joe Fletcher

The glass walls disappear into the hills, eliminating visual barriers between the home and the valley below.

The exposed steel structure elegantly breaks and frames views. Natural light filters into space throughout the day, while panoramic vistas sweep out across San Jose to the Golden Gate Bridge in the distance.

The Pavilion
© Joe Fletcher
The Pavilion
© Joe Fletcher

The clients, when thinking of their future home, expressed the desire to accommodate a growing family, providing space for children to flourish and play both inside and out, and to feed their love for gardening and the outdoors.

The home, therefore, is designed to take advantage of its California locale- many rooms spill directly into the surrounding landscape, patios, and gardens.

The Pavilion
© Joe Fletcher
The Pavilion
© Joe Fletcher

Two stucco wings stand as the home’s anchors, grounding the glass core and structure to the earth.

To the South, a single-story section lies close to the land and houses a master suite and two smaller bedrooms.

The Pavilion
© Joe Fletcher
The Pavilion
© Joe Fletcher
The Pavilion
© Joe Fletcher

The North wing rises dramatically above the rest of the residence, extending from a subterranean garage, through a casual den, to culminate in a loft above.

The simple, elegant, ranch style home provides an escape from hustle and bustle, a secluded perch to watch the ebb and flow of the city beneath.

The epitome of effortless Californian modern architecture, we were so honored to be part of shaping, designing, and realizing our clients’ family sanctuary.

The Pavilion
© Joe Fletcher


The Pavilion
Floor Plan

Feldman Architecture, Inc.
T +1 415 2521441
Feldman Architecture, Inc.
1648 Pacific Ave suite b, San Francisco, CA 94109, United States