Los Altos New Residence by Klopf Architecture

Project Details

Project Description

Klopf Architecture and Outer Space Landscape Architects designed a new warm, modern, open, indoor-outdoor home in Los Altos, California. Inspired by mid-century modern homes but looking for something completely new and custom, the owners a couple with two children, bought an older ranch style home with the intention of replacing it.

Created on a grid, the house is designed to be at rest with differentiated space for activities; living, playing, cooking, dining and entertainment. The low-sloping gable roof over the great room brings a grand feeling to the space. The clerestory windows at the high sloping roof make the grand space light and airy.
Upon entering the house, an open atrium entry in the middle of the house provides light and nature to the great room. The atrium gives back to nature, is a two grid square planted with bamboo and a Heath title wall provides relief to the rear yard.
Designed on a sloped gable, bedrooms, bathrooms, play room and the sitting room are under a flat roof-like wings that create balance. Inside the space, large sliding glass panels and pocketing glass doors foster openness to the front and back yards. In the front there is a fenced-in play space connected to the play room, an indoor-outdoor play space that could change in use over the years. The play room can also be closed off from the great room with a large packeting door. In the rear, everything opens up to a deck overlooking a pool where the family can come together outdoors.
Wood siding travels from exterior to interior, accentuating the indoor-outdoor nature of the house. Where the exterior siding doesn’t come inside, a palette of white oak floors, white walls, walnut cabinetry, and dark window frames ties all the spaces together to create a uniform feeling and flow throughout the house. The custom cabinetry matches the minimal joinery of the rest of the house, a trim-less, minimal appearance. Wood siding was mitered in the corners, including where siding meets the interior drywall. Wall materials were held up off the floor with a minimal reveal. This tight detailing gives a sense of cleanliness to the house.
The garage door of the house is completely flush and of the same material as the garage wall, de-emphasizing the garage door and making the street presentation of the house kinder to the neighborhood.
The main challenges during construction were trying to get the contractor on board with the specifics and details of the design in a way that he would be willing to stand behind the work. While the construction quality was high, there were some avoidable mistakes. Discussion and planning lengthy. Designed but not built to spec the hallway cabinetry was intended to be flush with the drywall. The reveals at the base of the wall were tricky to get level and solid. The biggest challenge, the garage door, to get the siding on the door flush with the siding on the wall. A unique bi-fold garage door system had to be used.
The house is akin to a custom, modern-day Eichler home in many ways. Inspired by mid-century modern homes with today’s materials, approaches, standards, and technologies. The goals were to create an indoor-outdoor home that was energy-efficient, light and flexible for young children to grow. This 3,000 square foot, 3 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom new house is located in Los Altos in the heart of the Silicon Valley.


Klopf Architecture Project Team: John Klopf, AIA, and Chuang-Ming Liu
Landscape Architect: Outer Space Landscape Architects
Structural Engineer: ZFA Structural Engineers
Staging: Da Lusso Design 
Photography ©2018 Mariko Reed
Location: Los Altos, CA
Year completed: 2017