When architect Ana Williamson signed on to design this home in Palo Alto, California, she knew it was going to be difficult.

“We were introduced by a colleague who had passed on the project because the site had a number of challenging characteristics,” she recalls. “There was the narrowness of the lot coupled with the density of protected trees, which all straddled two flood zones.”

The site is in Crescent Park, a neighborhood not too far from downtown Palo Alto’s busy shops and restaurants. The original owners had been longtime residents, and they watched as the area transitioned from a relatively quiet collegiate town into an epicenter of technology. They used the 50-foot-wide lot as their garage and backyard, which explains the grove of redwood trees that could not be touched. These trees are what drew the current residents, Ming Hua, a vice president at Meta, and her husband, who also works in the tech industry, to purchase the land.

“Constraints ignite creativity,” Ming says. “Several architects we consulted deemed the lot unbuildable, but thankfully Ana shares our passion for Sea Ranch design and embraced the challenge with us.”

When Ming first visited Sea Ranch a decade ago, she fell in love with the community’s clean lines, sloped roofs, and interesting massing that prioritized the views. “The design principles also resonate deeply with me,” she says. “Modestly sized homes instead of enormous houses, simplicity over flamboyance, native trees instead of exotic plants, and a focus on nature as the dominant feature rather than a mere backdrop.”

She and her husband had numerous brainstorming sessions with Williamson to determine how best to honor this storied approach on such a tricky parcel. They came up with plans to nestle the home beneath the tree canopy so that it wouldn’t overwhelm the forested site. To do that, they’d have to use an elevated pier foundation to avoid disrupting the roots and protect from possible flooding, and position the dwelling to preserve surrounding trunks and branches.

“My dad contributed a brilliant idea: using ‘stacked boxes’ set at an angle to each other,” Ming says. “This worked beautifully, allowing the home to fit seamlessly into the lot while maintaining regular shapes inside for easier furniture placement.”

They designed the three-bedroom, two bathroom home around a courtyard showcasing the three largest redwoods, which provide privacy for a standalone ADU on the other side. “This ADU space serves many functions: It’s a guest suite, a workspace, and a meditation space,” Williamson says. “It’s equipped with a Murphy bed and a sleeping loft to maximize flexibility.”

The home’s natural wood cladding continues indoors, where it blends with stone, steel, and concrete. “These classic materials are modernized through a natural gas fireplace and outdoor firepits, lighting and shading control systems that help supplement daylight, and hydronic radiant heating for coziness,” Williamson says. The interiors are finished with a black-and-white palette with calming green details, midcentury furnishings, and artworks that bring a personal touch.

“My father thoughtfully selected a few pieces from his collection to adorn the space, including two watercolor paintings created by my grandfather in the 1950s,” Ming says.

The project took three years to complete, and it wrapped up in 2023. The couple placed a camper in the courtyard so that they could enjoy the outdoor space even more, and friends often stop by to sit near the firepit beneath the trees. Ming is excited for her parents to visit so that she can show them how a challenge came to be cherished.

“My mom is a big fan of nature, and when I first saw this lot with its small redwood grove, I instantly knew she would fall in love with it,” Ming says. “I can’t wait to share this special place with them.”

Related Reading:

A Silicon Valley Home Splits Around a Magnificent Blue Oak

At Sea Ranch, a Couple Build a “Forever Moving” Home

Project Details:

Architect of Record: Ana Williamson Architect / @anawilliamsonarchitect

Project Architect: Joe Gardella

Job Captain: Thomas Vogel

Builder: VonPete Inc., Peter VonClemm

Structural Engineer: Daedalus Structural Engineering, Marisa Nolasco

Civil Engineer: KPROX Civil Engineering, Mili Kontorovsky

Landscape Design: Boxleaf Design, Sarah Warto

Lighting Design: Tali Ariely Lighting Design

Kitchen System: Henrybuilt, Leslie DiCorpo; Brown Felicetta Design

Other: Urban Tree Management

Other: Murray Engineers, Jason Kong

Photographer: Ethan Gordon / @electrokardiogram