Sweet Clarity

Connectivity is the word in this new home that offers an easy cohesion between spaces and embraces the San Francisco Bay views.

- Dominic Bradbury

The views out across San Francisco Bay are mesmerising. This is one of the most beautiful parts of California, with the waters dotted with sailing yachts and the support towers of the Golden Gate Bridge floating off in the distance. The Bay and the green, wooded hills that surround it are rich in bird life and natural charm. It’s easy to see why Fearon Hay’s clients picked this spot to settle down, creating a family home that connects directly with the Bay and with nature.

“It’s definitely an intriguing position in terms of outlook, which is very dramatic when you look out across the water to the other side of the Bay,” says architect Jeff Fearon. “But then you also get this long view towards the Bridge, so there’s an interesting combination of vistas that we were able to work with.”

The New Zealand-based practice has completed work in the US before, but this is its first stand-alone, new build there. They had already worked with their clients before and had developed an understanding of their tastes, desires and mode of living, which all fed into the new project. The family was looking to relocate from the city and found this hillside location looking over the Bay.