Designed for a family of four, the Owners of the Slant House envisioned a minimalist modern, light and bright new home that would be well suited for casual, indoor/outdoor living and entertaining. However, the property presented several challenges. The small, narrow lot that was heavily constrained by city zoning ordinances and design guidelines including setbacks, height, daylight plane, context, scale, etc., to name a few. Furthermore, the property is located in a flood zone with a Base Flood Elevation (BFE) requiring the first floor to be located approximately 30” above grade. Working within the boundaries of the various volumetric constraints, the house was conceived as a geometric sculptural composition of intersecting and overlapping simple, three dimensional forms and planes. Some of the volumes were carved out to reveal the inner layer of fenestration while others were tilted. Within this composition, the interior spaces are configured to open up and serve as comfortable, functional, and defined public, private and service spaces for the family and their pets.
Slant House
Palo Alto, CA



This was our third time hiring Carl and his team. They are incredibly organized and knowledgeable. They always make you feel like a priority. They listened intently to our wishes, offered alternatives and were open to our opinions and ideas. We have and will continue to highly recommend square three architecture.
— Brian + Nana Chancellor



