Terrace House / Aidlin Darling Design

This dramatic remodel of a non-descript 1950s hillside residence converts a two-story structure into a three-story home for a growing family. The home boasts contrasting but remarkable views of the city of San Francisco to the east and Sutro Tower to the west. The front and rear facades employ 20-foot-tall, 30-inch-deep steel brise soleils to deflect light and simultaneously frame cherished views while editing out less desirable ones. The southern and northern anchor walls are skinned with hand-troweled plaster and create visual and mental privacy from the adjoining neighboring homes. In between these walls reside crystalline glass-and-steel exterior structures that provide the family with remarkable eastern views of downtown San Francisco and beautiful sunset views through a canopy of backyard trees. A living roof provides ample insulation and rainwater purification as well as an inviting natural respite within the confines of an urban setting.