WOJR completes House of Horns overlooking Silicon Valley

This house in California's Los Altos Hills was conceived by architecture firm WOJR as "an assemblage of instruments" that capture changing light and seasons.

The House of Horns was initially conceptualised in 2018 and finally completed in 2024.

Exterior of a home with blackened wood and metal cladding with grasses planted in front — The House of Horns is named for a series of double-height volumes that curve upward to capture views and light

Located in the foothills of the Santa Cruz mountains, overlooking Silicon Valley and the San Francisco Bay, the private home was designed to incorporate an existing foundation intended for a partially constructed Spanish-style property.

"A counterpoint to what existed, the project finds a new coherence that synthesises the particularities of the existing condition with a new set of ordering principles, rhythms, and structures," said WOJR.

Exterior of a home with blackened wood and metal cladding around a large window — Blackened wood clads the lower portions of the upper level, while dark metal covers the roof

The 8,500-square-foot (790-square-metre) residence takes its name from a series of volumes that curve upwards to create double-height spaces either fronted or topped with glass.

These shapes allow the building to frame particular views and let in more natural light to key areas.

Residence with a concrete lower floor that curves to form a driveway and a dark-coloured upper level — The residence's concrete lower level is partially buried into the hillside

"The house would be an assemblage of instruments tuned to capture the cycles of the day, and of the seasons — the changing light, the growth, decay, and growth of the foggy Bay landscape," WOJR said.

Taking advantage of the sloped terrain, the structure is partially buried into the hillside and split distinctly into two levels with different conditions.

Living room with a curved wood ceiling above the seating area — The sculptural roof is expressed inside as curved wood-clad ceilings above key functional areas

The upper storey is bright and open, thanks to the "horns" and large expanses of glazing that face out to the landscape

This portion is clad in blackened wood around the base and dark metal across the taller areas and the roof.

Dining room with a Danby marble fireplace to one side and a skylight above — A fireplace carved from Danby marble partially divides the lounge from the dining room

Inside, an open-plan living area forms the heart of the house, where the ceiling is lowest in the centre and rises up to highlight key functional areas.

The lounge is partially divided from the dining room by a sculptural fireplace carved from dramatic Danby marble that matches an adjacent wall panel, marking the centreline of the home.

A kitchen bathed in light from a huge picture window made possible by a curved roofline — The kitchen is bathed in light from a huge picture window made possible by the curved roofline

A "horn" is positioned over the seating area, the dining table and the kitchen to highlight the primary functional spaces, which all feature wood-lined ceilings and terrazzo flooring.

The primary suite and two smaller bedrooms are located on this level, extending the same material palette with an ovoid bathtub rendered in the blue-gray Danby marble.

Meanwhile, the concrete lower floor is laid out as a series of cosy compartments or chambers wrapped in wood and open out to partially enclosed gravel courtyards.

Two further bedrooms and an office are found on this level, as well as a concrete spa with a sunken pool and another marble ovoid that appears to prop up the ceiling.

Ovoid bathtub made from dramatic marble overlooking a meadow-like garden — The dramatic Danby marble is also used to form an ovoid bathtub in the primary suite

Landscaping is intended to take a meadow-like appearance using layers of California native grasses, perennials, scrub and live oaks.

"Its careful calibration of texture and tone extends the aesthetic experience out across the changing seasons," said the studio. "It acts with the house as a synthetic whole, a precisely tuned instrument to experience the world around."

Concrete spa with a sunken pool and a marble ovoid that appears to support the ceiling — The lower level includes a concrete spa in which another marble ovoid appears to support the ceiling

Founded by William O'Brien Jr, WOJR has previously released highly realistic visualisations for similarly atmospheric houses.

These yet-to-be-built projects include the Mask House, designed as a space of refuge and contemplation for a man who lost his brother, and House of the Woodland, featuring a large pyramidal metal roof for a forest clearing in Massachusetts.

The photography is by Nick Dearden.

Project credits:

Architect: WOJR
Project team: William O'Brien Jr and John David Todd, Adam Murfield, Justin Gallagher, James Murray, Lindsey Krug, Marianna Gonzalez
Structural engineers: FWCSE
Mechanical/plumbing/sustainability engineers: Monterey Energy Group
Electrical engineers: Nutek Engineering
Civil engineers: Lea & Braze Engineering
Geotechnical engineers: ROMIG Engineering
Irrigation engineers: Russell D Mitchell & Associates
Furniture making: Kylle Sebree Studio
Horticulturist: Jeff Kunkel, Greenstar
Kitchen: Henrybuilt
Lighting: O-
Metal: Sun Valley Bronze, DeVincenzi
Stone objects: Quarra Stone
Terrazzo and stone: Marvelous Marble Design
General contractor: Paragon Custom Builders