A couple leaving the city with their young daughter in search of more space contacted Feldman Architects to design a new house – a modern, secluded home with a dedicated area for family and friends. At the Coal Creek Open Space Preserve, this team's vision is focused on fully immersing visitors in the rolling green hills while providing a rare, far-flung view of North San Francisco Bay. At the heart of the design is a deliberate orientation of public and private living spaces towards the landscape, while creating a sense of privacy from the nearby site. The 3,433-square-foot L-shaped architectural footprint gently tugs into the eastern hillside, creating a fence for outdoor moments and framing expansive views from the indoor living space. 
These volumes are carefully designed to minimize interference with views from surrounding properties. The main wing extends from north to south, spreading vertically over a double-height kitchen and dining space, while visually connecting the main floor to the loft and bedrooms upstairs. The light wells and glass windows at the East Ferdim Hotel welcome the morning light and offer green views without compromising on privacy. The single-storey structure, covered by a green roof, extends vertically – blending into the surrounding landscape and creating a multi-functional space at the level of the pool for play, exercise and recreation. The infinity pool is a threshold, where manicured landscaping blends into the local meadow landscape. 
The view of the bay to the north is captured from the master suite and also from the view deck publicly. It was important for the client that this roof deck was open to the public without compromising the privacy of the bedroom. Low-maintenance, durable materials define the material palette: the second layer of the exterior cement layer, and the Monterey cypress side panels, intended to elegantly connect the main floor over time. Cement-plaster and cypress strips are geometrically stacked on top of each other, blending into the interior – understated, contemporary, and clean materiality for the hues of the interior and landscape moments.
In Lauhaus, a 6The 24-kilowatt photovoltaic array provides homes with 9,777 kilowatt-hours of renewable energy per year, and two solar panels serve 119-gallon energy storage tanks. The home is equipped with all in-room appliances and an electric heat pump air conditioning system, combined with passive heating and cooling strategies, working to keep the home mild all year round. The design utilizes deep overhangs and recessed windows to provide passive solar shading, and thoughtful placement of operable windows, doors, and skylights promotes cross-ventilation in all habitable spaces. Outdoor patios, with varying degrees of shade throughout the home, allow you to use comfortably at different times of the day. The local** and ground Monterey cypress wood walls are naturally eroded by the wind with no additional surface, and all concrete is mixed with 30% fly ash to reduce the carbon content of the project.
This project allowed us to create a tranquil space that was well balanced with a design that created a horizontal and vertical connection to the landscape. It is done skillfully by the builder, who has carefully designed the details and material connections with perfect care and precision. "-"Beneath the quiet design sensibility is a strict expression of forms and spaces that are detailed in a tightly combined palette of materials. The house embraces the spirit of the site, creating the conditions for everyday life to unfold"Anjali Ayer, LEED AP, Engineering Designer. 