These conditions gave rise to Second House’s unusual form, a multifaceted two-level structure composed of three distinct volumes that fully express the indoor spaces and surround a central courtyard. The craggy exterior and its cladding of custom cement panels are a nod to the quirky, asphalt-shingled roof next door.

On the main level, entry alcoves on the west and east sides open into a kitchen/dining area and a snug living room, respectively. These rooms spill into the courtyard, a year-round gathering spot. Here, floors and finishes subtly define the alternating indoor and outdoor spaces in a cohesive open floor plan. In contrast, the second-floor master and guest bedrooms are entirely separate, each accessible by a dedicated stair.

High, sloped ceilings and variable ceiling heights make for an airy, dynamic interior, and operable windows on upper walls offer privacy but enable natural lighting, cross-ventilation, and oblique sight lines through the house and to the surrounding sky and rugged hills. These moves, and outdoor spaces that boost the usable floor area by a third, liberate Second House from the tight suburban fabric that hems it in on all sides. It lives like a much larger home—a feat enabled by its unexpected and clever design.