Open to Change
A Collaborative Custom Home on the Peninsula
At the heart of this ground-up custom residence on the Peninsula was a simple but persistent question: Why? Throughout the six-year design and construction process, the client returned to this prompt as a way to ensure that every architectural decision was intentional, well considered, and fully understood.
Rather than requesting a single final solution, the client wanted to engage with the design process itself. What options were explored? What paths were tested and refined? How did each decision take shape? This curiosity fostered a collaborative environment rooted in transparency, shared authorship, and trust.
The project brought together Fergus Garber Architects, NorthWall Builders, interior design studio NicoleHollis, and landscape architecture studio Randy Thueme Design. Collaboration extended beyond firm principals to include designers, project managers, craftspeople, and on-site builders. Ideas were openly exchanged, and contributions from all levels of the team were valued, reinforcing a collective investment in the outcome.
At FGA, partner Daniel Garber worked closely with principal Clinton Prior, project manager Sneha Avargerimath, sustainability manager Luke Morton, and a broader team whose input helped shape the project at every stage. That inclusive approach was mirrored across disciplines, creating a process defined by alignment and shared purpose.
Designing Through Dialogue
Early design conversations often unfolded on site, sometimes lasting hours, as ideas were tested directly against the land. Starting with an empty lot allowed for broad exploration before a clear architectural direction emerged. While the program was not rigidly defined at the outset, a set of guiding principles gradually took form.
The home was conceived as a sequence of spaces that reveal themselves progressively, with a clear distinction between public and private areas. As one moves deeper into the house, the architecture becomes more intimate and oriented toward family life. Every square inch was designed to capture a specific emotion or sight line, while the overall aesthetic remained clean, restrained, and purposeful.
The design process was intentionally iterative. Nearly every element of the house was revisited multiple times. Some ideas evolved significantly, while others returned to their original form, refined through testing and discussion. When something did not feel resolved, the team paused rather than compromise, allowing time for the right solution to emerge.
Integrating Architecture and Landscape
One of the most transformative outcomes of this approach can be found in the lower-level recreation room. Instead of allowing the space to read as a conventional basement, the team reshaped the surrounding landscape to bring natural light deep into the interior. By sloping the terrain down to the lower floor, the boundary between inside and outside was softened, creating a bright, connected space.
Views from the recreation room extend outward to a terraced garden where layered planting contrasts with white brick walls. Landscape architect Randy Thueme evaluated numerous planting strategies before selecting Casuarina glauca, often called Cousin It. The plant’s low, cascading form creates a sculptural ground plane, while its durability and low water needs support long-term sustainability.
Across the property, the landscape was designed to feel inseparable from the architecture. Paths connect outdoor rooms, gathering spaces encourage both play and rest, and transitions between interior and exterior feel natural and continuous.
Crafted Details and Evolving Design
Collaboration and adaptability shaped even the smallest architectural details. The central stair, for example, evolved significantly once a sculptural chandelier by Vincenzo De Cotiis was introduced. Spanning three levels, the chandelier became a focal point, prompting a redesign of the stair to allow light and movement to pass freely through the space. The final solution features glass panels framed by slender steel posts.
A secondary curved stair connecting the main level to the lower floor underwent multiple iterations before achieving its final form. Built by hand on site, the stair’s plaster surface echoes the surrounding walls, while integrated lighting along the edge creates a soft, glowing effect.
Material selections were approached with similar care. Flooring options were reconsidered and refined, ultimately settling on a quieter rift oak palette that appears on floors, ceilings, and architectural elements throughout the home. The result is a consistent, warm material language that supports the home’s clean architectural lines.
Interior Spaces Defined by Craft
Interior design reflects the same openness to exploration and refinement. In the dining room, the search for a light fixture that conveyed motion led to a custom glass chandelier by Lasvit, with patinated bronze accents and a form that appears to take flight.
Throughout the home, custom furnishings, sculptural lighting, and fine art are layered to create spaces that feel modern yet welcoming. The entry features an alabaster ceiling light and bronze console by Eric Schmitt, paired with bespoke storage cabinetry and artwork by Adam Fuss. In the great room, custom seating and a hand-sculpted marble coffee table anchor the space, complemented by carefully selected artwork and a custom fireplace mantle.
Bathrooms and powder rooms are treated as moments of craft and expression, featuring sculpted wall panels, hand-forged metal fixtures, and custom mirrors fabricated by skilled artisans. These intimate spaces reflect the same attention to detail found throughout the house.
A Home Shaped by Alignment
Despite the project’s length and complexity, the process remained defined by shared commitment and clarity of intent. Every element was discussed, tested, and refined before being executed. Challenges were met collaboratively, and quality was never rushed.
For the client, the experience was as meaningful as the finished home. Clear communication and mutual respect allowed the team to push boundaries while maintaining trust. The result is a residence that feels deeply considered, personal, and enduring.
Open to change and grounded in craft, the project stands as a reflection of what is possible when custom residential architecture is approached as an evolving dialogue between client, architect, builder, interior designer, and landscape architect.
Original article by Anh-Minh Le