Project: Hamilton Court Residence, Palo Alto

An addition to a small historic cottage in an old Palo Alto neighborhood. The client, an avid art collector, has been integral to the art and architectural history of the California peninsula. She was a member of Joseph Eichler's core team, designing, developing and executing modern homes for the middle class across California.

The client's ambition for design excellence, with a focus on residential comfort and calm, was exceedingly energizing during the course of the project. Paper models, endless sketches and late discussions about the values of light, sound, material, beauty and the importance of physical and design cultural context feed the creative process. The result is a volume of light and calm that integrates into the strict suburban surroundings with a stealth elegance usually reserved for jungle cats.

Architect: Chester Nielsen Architects, Inc. Size: 1200 sq ft Location: Palo Alto, CA