Tiburon Home

Once a single-story ranch built in 1959, the home on Mountain View Drive in Tiburon, California is now a two story jewel-box filled to the brim with matched Olivewood veneers, French limestone, custom finishes, smart home technology, and stunning views of the San Francisco Bay and the Golden Gate. Opening glass NanaWall systems guarantee that these staggering views are a central feature while allowing the residents to take full advantage of the mild Tiburon micro-climate.

In order to ensure unobstructed views, the architectural design included an ingenious support brace on the southwest corner on both levels. “There’s naturally a panoramic view and we didn’t want any obstruction. Our design removed that visually distracting element and gives this feeling like you’re suspended in air,” says builder Lowell Strauss, owner of spec building firm Amalfi West, LLC. Without visible headers and framing, the roof appears weightless. The liberal use of opening glass NanaWall systems enhance that feeling of suspension.

Architect David Kotzebue lent his own polish to the project, engineering an ingenious view home finished in stainless steel, Venetian plaster, and Pacific red cedar. “That parapet overhang coming off the house gives a lot of definition, and we chose to line it with cedar instead of stone or stucco because the wood softens its appearance,” says builder and project maestro Lowell Strauss. The incredible attention to detail begins with ingeniously concealed garage doors and extends throughout the home.

A resort worthy master suite features a fireplace that warms both the bedroom and the spa bathroom. Both the master bath and sleeping quarters open to the south-facing deck and yard with views of the Bay beyond. The deck’s Ipe planks rest flush against strips of flamed granite indoors with completely retractable glass walls, creating a seamless transition between indoors and out. An infinity edge pool, outdoor kitchen, and two dramatic decks integrate beautifully with the indoor living spaces, especially once the 11’ tall opening glass walls have been pushed aside.

Kotzebue designed the cantilevered house in symphony with Amalfi Construction owners Jacquie and Lowell Strauss. Neighbor and listing agent Scott Wood says, “They built a custom home that an end user would build. It’s an entirely higher level of construction, and they picked every finish.” John Merton of Studio Green designed the harmonious outdoor spaces on the half-acre lot. “This is as much a hobby of mine as it is a job. I love it, but I take it very seriously. It’s all about finding quality-conscious people who share the vision of creating high-end designer homes,” says Strauss.

Glass is used liberally throughout to imbue the home with a sense of suspension, light, and weightlessness. The great room, with its views, revolves around a floor-to-ceiling fireplace housed completely in glass. The home enjoys dramatic views of iconic Mount Tamalpais, San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the San Francisco Bay, facilitated by operable glass NanaWall systems on both levels. An infinity edge pool, outdoor kitchen, gracious guest rooms with their own extravagant inclusions and views, and south-facing decks perfectly suit the house for entertaining.

A reconstruction of a four-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bath modern masterpiece, the home set records when it closed at $13 million in 2016 after only two weeks on the market. It was the largest reported sale in the last 10 years in Tiburon and it holds the highest-price-per-square foot record for any Tiburon sale.