This house was designed to fit on a lot that is not only very thin and quite steeply sloped, but also which has street access from the top.  This requires the garage to be at the uppermost level and, therefore, the transition from “public” to “semi-public” to “private” happens progressively as the house steps down the hill.  There is an entry court a the top, just outside the garage, with steps up to a second unit over the garage, or a flight of garden steps leading down to the main central courtyard.  This courtyard, which leads to the front door, is also accessible from the family room.  The architecture of the house reflects the strong craftsman tradition of the area, using a canted stone base to “hold” the house to the site and a utilitarian metal roof.