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.
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
CONNECTTruckee, CA 96161
Homelands of the Washoe (the Wašiw, the Washo, the Waashiw, or the Washeshu) Tribe
Monday to Friday, 10am - 4pm
+1 253 678 0196
sally@studioLODELINE.com