An urban site set on a steep slope, the Kinnear house presents a number of challenges that double as opportunities: because the high side of the slope is toward the street, the public face of the building can be kept relatively quiet and minimal. The back, which opens up a full story below the street level, is then free to be molded into a beautifully green urban oasis, with an outdoor space through-and-through the center of the main level.
