Is it possible to design a house that is invisible, remains in a steady state, and looks new?

This house is located in Los Gatos, CA on 20 acres of land. The clients’ request is to design a modest house on a large sloping site, one that will serve the needs of the immediate family of four and periodic gatherings of extended family and friends. The house is organized using a traditional courtyard scheme with a difference. Instead of it being a fortress, the exterior and interior perimeter walls are permeable, allowing the perception of the larger site to flow through. The ‘4th’ side is a guest wing that has a planted roof, accessible from the main home.

The living areas occur on terraces that are all connected and covered by a single gestured plane parallel to the original ground plane made of Corten steel sheets, which will eventually develop a rich reddish-brown patina blending with the natural colors of the sloping site.

The new home will be situated to incorporate the natural watershed for this sector of land and to develop gardens that anticipate both wet and dry seasons.