Chateau La Mar
A dream residence for an International Business Executive Couple. A young couple who were next door neighbors married and created their dream home. The home centers it’s view on the Golden Gate Bridge, the panoramic views from all the major rooms spans from Angel island past the City to Sausalito and the Belvedere Tiburon Islands.
Gutting and rebuilding a home is a feat in and of itself. Reconfiguring the earth beneath it beforehand is another challenge altogether, as was how to transform the look of a 70’s hillside home into a world-class perch overlooking the best view in California. It took more than three years to transform the hillside structure towering above the road into the seven-bedroom showplace it now is. No expense was spared yet there were ways I could economize so that there was room in the budget for the elevator and tunnel that took a year to complete.
The three-plus-level home offers a combination of high-end finishes and inspiring views. Its great room opens to a stone patio set beside an infinity pool and outdoor fireplace, and decks off all three levels face San Francisco Bay and unobstructed views of the Golden Gate Bridge. Two stories were added beneath the existing home to create a 12 ft ceiling main floor and then an elevator down to a tunnel to the underground garage that also accessed a truly underground wine cave.
To quote an S.F. Chronicle article “One day the Fire Dept. pulled up with their trucks and was concerned that the project in violation of some fire code or ordinance. It turned out the Fire Department was so impressed with how we elevated and shored the structure they wanted to walk through it so as to gain insight on how they may shore a structure in the event of a future earthquake or other structural hazard.”
The Engineer for the project who has his hand in the S.F. skyline and bridges all around the Bay remarked, “how did I ever come up with the solutions that solved the numerous obstacles with the site and appearance?” The owner’s vision was realized and enhanced.
Client : International Business Couple
Location : Belvedere, California
