SKY HOUSE: INNOVATIVE BAY-VIEW ESTATE

Once in a great while, a destination comes along that is not just a home or an address, but a meeting place: a harmony of nature and design...a meeting place that is at once timeless and forward thinking. Adjacent to Wunderlich Park on a gated private road, Sky House at 33 Bear Glen is one such unforgettable experience. 

Custom designed in 1991 by celebrated architect Paul Gilger, it's no wonder this home takes on cinematic qualities...from its two-story rotunda pavilion that soars over 28 feet high, to the majesty of pristine natural surroundings on 6.44 acres. Around the same time Gilger was crafting this modern opus, he was masterminding the film studio of George Lucas, the legendary Industrial Light and Magic in San Rafael, CA. 

Architectural ingenuity sweeps over you with an Open Concept design based on balance and light. The architect's adaptation of post and beam construction adds the visual drama of giant vertical timber posts intersecting the lines across two stories. This construction method also facilitates the vast open living spaces, which become even more uninterrupted when interacting with the epic views.  The vistas are the orchestra, rippling and cascading in ever-changing keys, ever-changing moods and exposures. The magic of centuries-old forest accompanies magnificent green ridge lines, leading to the crescendo of the Bay. Blue waters modulate beyond the valley floor, crisp white salt ponds, golden sunrises, two bridges, Stanford lands, Mt. Diablo, and the tawny caps of East Bay Hills. Every room of the home is pre-meditated to take it all in, and designed to surrender your senses to equilibrium. This is your center, your meeting place where exciting modern design meets the ancient repose of nature. 

Amenities span 3,725 sq. ft. including 3,120 feet in the main home plus 605 sq. ft. in the detached ADU below the 3-car garage. The main home features 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms, yet the flow of space feels so much more expansive with the sense of openness and lofty ceilings. The ADU is tucked beyond extensive new landscaping featuring native and succulent gardens, a bubbling fountain courtyard, and graveled walkways trimmed with patina-finished corten steel for that high-end industrial modern accent. 

Your approach to the home is quintessentially Central Woodside, with Robert's Market and Woodside Road ushering you toward the entry of Bear Gulch Road. Deep in local lore, this road was founded as an 1800s redwood-logging passage. Today, it is one of the Peninsula's scenic treasures as a rare private road accessing a gated community. Bear Gulch spans from the main gate near Hwy 84 to the upper gate at Skyline Drive. 33 Bear Glen takes its place among only a handful of lucky retreats. A long meandering driveway heightens the suspense and sheer privacy leading to the home. The spacious and flat motor court circles you to the front door and the exceptionally large 900 sq. ft. 3-car detached garage. 

Stepping inside, the entry vestibule is treated with Shoji-screen doors before revealing the huge Open Concept Great Room. Impeccable condition begins with refinished oak hardwood floors. The fireplace living area, circulating freely with the other spaces, has been re-imagined by the current owners with a sleek wall-mounted media zone and marble hearth. The main living areas anchor the top floor, designed specifically for the most pronounced views. These destinations revolve around the two-story center staircase, topped by the rotunda skylight as a crown. The formal dining area is wrapped in windows that gaze above treetops to the waters of the Bay. From gala entertaining to contemplative moments, full-length decks extend the living space out to the unobstructed scenery. The unencumbered chef's kitchen is another social destination with its counter seating, panoramic site lines, and stainless steel appliances. 

At the heart of the home, the two-story central staircase is a work of art unto itself. Here, beneath glass ceilings dazzling to nearly 30 foot heights, you are immersed in this architectural innovation. Four towering timber posts measuring 40 inches in diameter stand sentinel in each corner of the open Great Room. Descending to the second level, three bedrooms (including Bay-view primary suite) are sequestered to take full advantage of privacy and individual outlooks. A few steps down, Zen-inspired lower levels show off the home's tranquil Eastern influences and Frank Lloyd Wright overtones. Meet the organic-themed lounge level with its ebony stone floors and integrated pebbled planter beds...the perfect spot for wine tasting or unwinding with a novel. Just beyond, a sunken media room offers deck and flat yard access on two sides, plus a cozy woodburning stove. 

Outside, you are comforted by surroundings of sculptural madrones and redwoods, and above all, serene quietude. Usable flat land wraps around the rear of the home, while graveled walkways lead through gardens to the guest cottage (with full kitchen) and fountain seating area. To the north, additional meadow land could be considered for your further development. Best of all, from your new "top of the world," Sky House keeps you within 20-30 minutes of Sand Hill Road, Stanford, and the heart of Silicon Valley. 

At a Glance

• Custom designed in 1991 by notable architect Paul Gilger, known for masterminding George Lucas' Industrial Light and Magic Film Studio.  Now on just its third owner. 
• Main home is 3,120 sq. ft., plus 605 sq. ft. ADU, plus 900 sq. ft. detached 3-car garage
• 6.44 acre setting with unobstructed Bay views and alpine beauty
• Gated community along a private road with a small HOA of unique properties. 
• Two entrance gates: Lower gate linking at Woodside Road, and Upper gate at Skyline
• World class hiking trails nearby at Wunderlich Park and El Corte de Madera Creek Open Space Preserve (at Skyline)
• Don't miss the famed Mountain House Restaurant (at Skyline, within a 15 minute drive of the house) 
• Top Woodside public school assignments
• Propane powered utilities featuring newer Central AC, backup generator, and Starlink high-speed Internet provider.