An Art House in Palo Alto is welcoming a thriving art collection and occasional guests

The Buttrick Projects Architecture+Design firm commissioned to do the work is faced with the design challenge of resolving the site's trapezoidal geometry while respecting the scale of the neighborhood and providing enough open space to meet the client's needs.The storage and art studio facilities are placed on the back side of the lot, keeping them low and more discreet than the residence by creating a false perspective and increasing perceived depth

In the Art House living room, eleven tall glass doors disappear into the wall, and with them the distinction between indoors and outdoors also disappears. A small pool and lawn provide a focal point for the open courtyard space creating a "village green" where the family gathers on weekends

The floor plan of the house is reversed from a usual layout: the bedrooms face the street, while the living room and kitchen are placed in the back to connect directly to the courtyard.
Art is featured in every room and on every wall, while daylight is filtered through perforated zinc that wraps around the second floor, reducing heat gain. Cement panels placed over the metal elements reduce direct heat transfer

The gray-green limestone floor runs throughout the ground floor, connecting the interior spaces with the outdoor patio and creating a feeling of continuity. White is chosen for the interior spaces as a more versatile backdrop for the art displayed everywhere, creating a "gallery" quality that is offset by a palette of soft green stone, white stained oak, and warm neutral furnishings. Details everywhere are restrained and minimal, leaving the art to play the starring role