This blocky, redwood San Francisco home was designed by the same architect responsible for the Golden Gate bridge.

Architect Irving Morrow designed the unique hillside property in 1933 for American composer Henry Cowell and his family, just a few years after working as the architectural consultant on San Francisco’s most distinctive landmark.

The Cowell House is designated Landmark No. 270 by the SF Planning Commission and it engages Morrow’s ideas about light and shadow, volume and spatial flow. Its distinctive four-level appearance is only apparent from the rear of the house, which hides behind a deceptively humble street entrance.

While 90 years old, the San Francisco property’s period charm remains very much intact, with the original blue tiled fireplace still in place at the centre of the living room and mahogany floors running throughout. Wraparound corner windows and open-plan spaces lend the house a bright, airy feel while built-in cabinets and bookcases make for tidy, compact rooms.

Each of the four bedrooms enjoys expansive views over the nearby trees and hills, and there’s also a roof deck for soaking up the outdoors. Vanguard Properties holds the listing with a guide price of $3.7m.

[h/t Financial Times]

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