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Geddes Ulinskas Architects recently completed a stunning home in Cow Hollow, San Francisco, marked by an exquisite cast-glass staircase. Occupying 12,000 square feet on a 0.26 acre lot, the home boasts abundant interior and exterior spaces and intricate stone details. And not to mention, it overlooks the Golden Gate Bridge!
Designer: Geddes Ulinskas Architects
“We drew deep inspiration from the natural environment for the design of this house and sought to bring the outdoors in as much as possible,” said Geddes Ulinskas. The three-story house has been equipped with six bedrooms and is basically several envelopes stacked on top of each other, which can be continuously glazed. The roof gives off a floating effect, as the structure is removed from the outer walls and the columns have been placed in glass. This also allows for a linear ribbon of brass windows throughout the house.
A 20-foot-tall wooden door leads you inside the home, while the smooth exterior walls have wood-clad roof eaves hanging over them. These contrast beautifully with the split-faced limestone driveway. Upon entering the home, you are greeted by a sitting area and adjacent dining room. The dining room opens to the garden, through floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors. These clear glass doors create an intimate indoor-outdoor connection. Materials like wood and hand-textured stone were used to accent the interiors, and pair beautifully with the custom paneling and blackened steel finishes.
“We used nature-inspired colors like charcoal and dark green with accessories inspired by water ripples, lightning bolts, and other fractal shapes,” Ulinskas said.
The entire house is defined by impressive sliding glass doors, providing beautiful views of San Francisco and integrating indoor and outdoor living. The fabric was stretched over the ceiling to hide some of the technical equipment, creating clean lines and smooth surfaces. The star of the home, though, is a magnificent steel and glass staircase that “reads more like a two-story work of art than the product of construction,” in the studio’s words. The sculptural staircase was brought to life by pouring molten glass into a four-inch thick shape and then allowing the glass steps to cool for nearly three months.
The home has also been outfitted with a private movie theater, wine room, fitness center, 72-foot lap pool, built-in stainless steel spa, and wellness spa with glass-enclosed sauna and steam shower. A huge roof deck at the top of the home offers views of the San Francisco Bay and also features a stone fire table.
