San Francisco Modern Architecture
A guide to interesting homes and commercial buildings.
Residences

This home was designed in 1956 by Warren Callister who was a partner of Frank Lloyd Wright. It is called the Duncan house after the owner. Wright was the initial architect of choice but was too "domineering" so Callister was chosen. The majority of the home is built with unfinished redwood. The roof took two years to build since the redwood strips (4 layers) had to be wet bent. A circus tent covered this process and heat lamps were used to dry the wood to shape. With all the heat lamps burning into the night it must certainly have looked like the circus was in town. Inside the house, each room has no more than 3 walls since each one has a glass wall or more allowing for a very open feeling. I love the detail of the handrails leading to the front door.