A Sinuous Silicon Valley Retreat Is a Portal to the Outdoors

Samantha Wang and her husband, Christophe, spent two years searching for the perfect parcel of land in Silicon Valley. They had been living in Menlo Park but ached for more space and privacy—without having to lose a sense of community with the surrounding neighborhood. They found just that with a three-acre site in Portola Valley, a quiet enclave less than an hour’s drive from San Francisco, close to miles of trails and open space preserves.

"Christophe grew up spending his summers at his grandparents’ farm in France, so we valued building our home somewhere that felt rural with the magic of the countryside, while at the same time being extremely accessible to Silicon Valley and San Francisco," says Samantha, who is a venture capitalist and an investor in outdoor living company Chicory.

With a dream home in mind, the couple tore down the property’s existing residence and partnered with EYRC Architects to design a low-slung house with big, open spaces that would encourage their three children to play, facilitate family time, and bring their friends together. Just as important, the 6,039-square-foot Westridge Residence takes full advantage of its natural setting, which includes meadows, trees, a creek, and foraging deer.

"The owners were very deliberate in the site they chose, characterized by south-facing slopes and heritage oak trees," says principal Bryn Garrett of EYRC Architects, "which were celebrated in the final design with framed views from many interior rooms, and provided natural shading and screening of the private areas."