- Project: Los Altos New Residence
- Architect: Klopf Architecture
- Location: United States, Los Altos, California
- Year: 2017
- Area: 278 m2
- Photography: Mariko Reed
Best known for their sensitive renovations of Eichler homes, Klopf Architecture brings their refined, modernist approach to a new build in Los Altos, California. The Los Altos New Residence is a 3,000-square-foot custom-designed home that honors mid-century modern principles while integrating today’s standards of efficiency, flexibility, and minimalist detailing.
Custom Modernism Inspired by Eichler Ideals
Commissioned by a couple with two young children, the home replaces a dated ranch structure on a site in the heart of Silicon Valley. The clients sought a light-filled, indoor-outdoor home that respects Eichler’s philosophy while going beyond it—custom, functional, and sustainable.
Klopf Architecture collaborated with Outer Space Landscape Architects to develop a site-specific design that balances serenity with multi-functionality, using natural light, circulation, and clean detailing to support daily living, work, and play.
A Grid-Based Layout Designed for Daily Life
The home is organized on a grid layout, with distinct zones for living, cooking, playing, and relaxing. A low-sloping gable roof spans the main great room, giving the central space a sense of volume and grandeur. Above, clerestory windows bathe the interiors in daylight and offer subtle transitions between solid and open spaces.
An atrium-style entryway introduces light and greenery into the home’s center. A tiled privacy wall by Heath Ceramics defines the threshold while shielding the backyard from direct view, creating a sense of retreat from the very first step inside.
Family-Friendly Spatial Strategies
The children’s bedrooms, bathrooms, and a dedicated playroom are located under flat, wing-like roofs that flank the central gabled volume. These zones connect to both the front and rear yards through large sliding glass panels and pocketing doors, establishing fluid indoor-outdoor transitions.
In front, a fenced play court extends from the playroom, providing a secure space for young children to engage and evolve as they grow. At the rear, the home opens onto a deck and swimming pool, framing outdoor gathering spaces for the family.
The playroom is also fully enclosable via a large pocket door, allowing for flexibility as a guest room, office, or media room in the future.
Minimalist Detailing and Natural Finishes
A signature of Klopf’s work, the material palette is minimal yet warm. White oak floors, walnut cabinetry, white walls, and dark window frames flow consistently through the home. Exterior wood siding continues inside the home, blurring the distinction between indoors and out.
All materials are detailed with minimal joinery and no visible trim. Even the garage door—crafted from the same material as the garage wall—disappears into the elevation, reinforcing a quiet street presence and respectful neighborhood integration.
Corners are mitered, reveals are meticulously controlled, and transitions between surfaces are crisp, yielding a refined aesthetic throughout the residence.
Energy Efficiency and Timeless Comfort
Designed with sustainability in mind, the home incorporates a well-insulated building envelope, energy-efficient glazing, and long-lasting materials. The result is a climate-responsive home that is easy to maintain, adapt, and enjoy.
The Los Altos New Residence by Klopf Architecture is more than a modern home—it is a contemporary reinterpretation of mid-century values. With its balance of openness, privacy, refined materials, and sustainable solutions, it stands as a benchmark for how Eichler’s legacy can evolve for the 21st century.
