Nestled in the sloping neighborhood between Buena Vista Park and Corona Heights, the Buena Vista Residence is a well proportioned home that complements its challenging triangular corner site and the scale of the neighboring context. The building’s modern aesthetic is immediately apparent in the two wood-clad volumes connected by the tall glass atrium all sitting atop a concrete plinth.
This scheme sets the tone that lends itself to all aspects of the home, starting with the simply detailed redwood siding that was reclaimed from nearby Hanger One at Moffett Field. The variegated tone and grain of the redwood achieves an ideal balance between the home’s clean, structured lines and the urban foliage surrounding the site. A concrete and steel exterior staircase provides a bold yet inviting approach to the home’s second floor entrance.
The home’s calming interiors echo the modern detailing of the exterior. Expansive interior walls provide ample space for the owner’s extensive art collection, while thoughtfully placed windows not only frame views of the surrounding city and San Francisco Bay but also allow an abundance of natural daylight to filter into the home. Taking advantage of the temperate San Francisco climate, operable windows passively cool and ventilate the house during the warmer months while radiant floors supply winter heating.
An elegant steel and wood staircase with open risers leads up to a cantilevering catwalk spanning across the third floor, connecting the master bedroom to the exterior roof deck. The exterior deck extends the house’s interior to the outside and provides a surprisingly large exterior living space on the small corner site.
A single retaining wall encloses the sloping corner and rear yards which are landscaped with a mixture of native San Franciscan and low-water plants, specifically chosen to compliment the color and texture of the street trees surrounding the home.
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