Atherton House by Mark English Architects

Atherton is a large family home for a tech industry couple and their two teenaged children, conceived as a place of comfort and amenity, as well as one of joy and wonder. This project represented the beginning of a new chapter in California. Having resided and built homes in Singapore and Hong Kong, they were well versed in the intricacies of designing a home and approached us with a clearly defined brief.

Located on a one-acre site with similarly sprawling neighboring lots, we designed the house as a classic “H” plan, encompassing a pair of two-story wings connected via a double-height space. The two wings provide a sense of enclosure and privacy along the property’s northern and southern boundaries, containing the everyday experience of the home, yet facilitating a distinct feeling of openness across the site. Further, the form allows for alcoves of the yard to be embraced by the mass of the building, creating protected pockets of outdoor space, as well as carefully composed sightlines.