The 2019 AIA Pasadena award-winning Kaweah Rockhouse, designed by architect Elsye Alam. Its SCI-Arc trained female architect/owner deftly handles the hillside lot with a design that takes shape from the property topography itself fully utilizing the maximum buildable envelope. The three level home on caisson foundation appears to almost hover as it cascades over the lot; connected by a bridge driveway at street level. Vertical cedar battens on dark fiber cement cladding mirrors the existing 40-foot Himalayan cedar trees that bookend the house giving texture and depth to an otherwise austere modern exterior. A primary concept of the home was to maximize and frame the expansive views of Mount Wilson, Eagle Rock Historic Landmark, Griffith Park, and the wider San Gabriel Mountain range. A 24' glass wall with center slider provides for this in breathtaking fashion, connecting the open plan kitchen/dining/family room level seamlessly with an Ipe wood covered view deck. High ceilinged interiors with walls of stark white and warm grey fold around an open plan, leading one through a procession of inspired spaces and captivating views. Cleverly placed diffused lighting makes for an equally dynamic interior come nightfall. Surrounded by iconic homes by Neutra, Buff, Straub & Hensman, Harwell Hamilton Harris, and Jean Gloria Killion- Kaweah Rockhouse further accentuates the Poppy Peak Historic District’s legacy of exceptional architecture.