Modern single-story house with black exterior walls, large windows, and a carport with a wooden ceiling, surrounded by landscaped yard and trees.

Cresta Hilltop Residence

LOS ALTOS HILLS, CALIFORNIA

WORK

Firm Credit
Studio Role

Michael Hennessey Architecture
Project Designer, completed at MHA

COLLABORATORS

General Contractor
Structural Engineer
Photography
Interiors / Lighting



Adam Rouse Photography
Michael Hennessey Architecture

RECOGNITIONS

WALLPAPER* MAGAZINE 2026 — “A California hilltop residence flaunts its modernist origins, and a quiet 21st-century revamp

Originally constructed as a mid-century hillside home, the Cresta Residence had, over time, lost clarity through a series of poorly integrated renovations—most notably the incorporation of the garage into the primary living structure. These alterations disrupted the home’s original proportions, blurred its spatial hierarchy, and weakened its relationship to the surrounding landscape. What was once a clear and deliberate architectural composition had become fragmented and difficult to read.

The renovation sought to reestablish a strong architectural framework—bringing the design back to a place of clarity, restraint, and intention. Rather than imposing a new language, the approach focused on uncovering and reinforcing the inherent logic of the original structure. Key moves centered on simplifying the building’s massing, reasserting horizontality, and aligning elements across plan and section to create a more cohesive whole.

Existing conditions were carefully evaluated and selectively reworked. Misaligned openings were corrected, extraneous elements were removed, and spatial relationships were recalibrated to establish a clearer hierarchy between primary and secondary spaces. The integration of the garage was reconsidered to reduce its visual and spatial impact, allowing the main living volumes to regain prominence. New interventions were introduced with a deliberate restraint, designed to align with the original structure while refining proportion, datum, and detail. Structural systems were closely coordinated with the architectural intent, allowing primary elements to read cleanly and consistently. This integration supports a quieter expression—one that relies on precision rather than excess.

Modern house exterior with black siding, a wooden roof overhang, and green plants and bushes in the front yard.
Modern house with dark wood exterior, concrete pathway, and landscaped garden with grasses and flowering plants, during dusk or early evening.
Modern single-story house with black exterior, flat roof, and a large wooden overhang at the entrance, surrounded by landscaped yard and distant hills under a clear blue sky.
Modern living room with large glass sliding doors, wooden ceiling, and minimal furniture, looking out onto a backyard with trees.
Minimalist bedroom with large window showing a scenic view of trees and hills at sunset, a bed with a beige headboard and gray pillows, a small side table with books, and slippers on the wooden floor.
A yellow pear sitting on a wooden shelf within a minimalist wooden cabinet.

Interior spaces were reoriented to more directly engage the landscape. Openings were carefully positioned to frame both immediate and distant views, while also bringing in balanced, consistent natural light. Living areas extend outward through resolved thresholds, creating a continuous relationship between interior and exterior conditions. These moments—edges, openings, and transitions—were treated as critical components of the overall composition.

Material transitions between existing and new construction were handled with care, reinforcing continuity across the project. Details were refined to minimize visual interruption, allowing the building to read as a unified intervention rather than a collection of parts. Alignment—of structure, glazing, and interior elements—became a primary driver in achieving this sense of cohesion.

The result is a residence that recaptures the clarity and intent of its mid-century origins while establishing a more disciplined and enduring architectural language. Through careful editing, precise intervention, and a focus on proportion and alignment, the home has been transformed into a quieter, more resolved expression of its original character.

Read the feature of this project in Wallpaper* Magazine here:
https://www.wallpaper.com/architecture/residential/hilltop-residence-michael-hennessey-architecture-usa

Modern kitchen with wooden cabinets, a white island with two black barstools, pendant lighting, black backsplash, and built-in appliances.
Modern bathroom with a white freestanding bathtub, a floating wooden vanity with two sinks, a large mirror, frosted glass sliding doors, and a walk-in shower with white tiles.
Modern living room with large glass sliding doors leading to a balcony, featuring a black hanging fireplace, white coffee table with a book and vase, and a patterned rug.
CONNECT

Truckee, CA 96161
Homelands of the Washoe (the Wašiw, the Washo, the Waashiw, or the Washeshu) Tribe

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