The owners of this small, steep property wanted a house that would take advantage of the sweeping views of the San Francisco skyline and nearby Mount Tamalpais.  The challenge was to get access from street level and keep the main living and entertainment functions of the house at the top.  The result is a stacked plan which steps up the hill, connected visually by the stair/elevator tower.  The bedrooms are in the middle levels, the master being a level higher than the other bedrooms for the better view.  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.  The verticality of the tower is balanced by its horizontal wood siding, which gives it texture compared to the flatter stucco finish of the house.