Hillsborough

Hillsborough Eichler Homes

Hillsborough, California – an affluent, hilly suburb on the San Francisco Peninsula – is home to only a handful of Eichler homes. Unlike the large Eichler tracts found in other cities (such as Palo Alto or Orange County), Hillsborough has no dedicated Eichler subdivision. Instead, the few Eichler houses here are scattered among upscale mid-century and contemporary estates, often blending discreetly into neighborhoods of custom homes and mansions. This rarity is partly due to local attitudes – Hillsborough officials were initially wary of Joseph Eichler’s modern designs, although they could not prevent their construction as long as Eichler met all building requirements. The town even imposed extra measures (like requiring drywall under the typical Eichler wood paneling for fire safety) to integrate these modernist homes into local standards.

Custom Eichlers in an Affluent Enclave

Nearly all Eichler homes in Hillsborough were custom or semi-custom designs, built in the mid-1960s through the early 1970s. This period saw Eichler Homes branching into more high-end, individualized projects for affluent clients. Hillsborough’s Eichlers were part of that trend, alongside similar upscale Eichler developments in places like Sleepy Hollow (Marin County) and on the Stanford University campus in Palo Alto. Because of Hillsborough’s large wooded lots and strict zoning, these Eichlers stand alone (or in very small clusters) rather than forming a cohesive tract. They are nestled on streets such as Barroilhet Avenue, Eucalyptus Avenue, and Sierra Drive, surrounded by mature trees and larger traditional homes. In fact, Eichler’s ventures in Hillsborough and neighboring Atherton illustrate that he did not cater only to “entry-level” buyers – from early on, Eichler also built homes for the middle-class and wealthy in exclusive communities.

Distinctive Designs and Architects

The architectural variety of Hillsborough’s Eichler homes is remarkable. Instead of the repetitive tract models, these houses were often one-of-a-kind or limited-edition designs tailored to their sites. Several leading Eichler architects contributed to these projects – Claude Oakland, Jones & Emmons, and John Brooks Boyd were all involved. For example, one Hillsborough Eichler (built in 1964 on Eucalyptus Avenue) features a dramatic A-frame design with a steeply vaulted roofline. This custom A-frame model, co-designed by Eichler and Oakland, stands out even within Eichler’s body of work for its bold, cathedral-like form and soaring glass walls. Another notable Hillsborough Eichler is a rare split-level (two-story) design – an unusual departure from Eichler’s typical single-story layouts. Designed by Boyd in conjunction with Jones & Emmons, this home uses a two-level, glass-walled central stair atrium to connect a one-story wing to a separate two-story living area, adapting the Eichler aesthetic to a sloped hillside lot. This split-level Eichler (built circa 1964 near Crystal Springs School) is sometimes called a “treehouse” Eichler by its owners, due to its multi-level design and forested setting. The presence of a true two-story Eichler in Hillsborough is exceptionally rare, highlighting how unique these custom homes are in Eichler’s portfolio.

Joseph Eichler’s Own Hillsborough Home

One of the Hillsborough Eichlers has a particularly illustrious pedigree: Joseph Eichler’s personal residence in the early 1970s. Eichler moved into a custom-built Hillsborough home in 1972 and lived there until his death in 1974. This house, located on Barroilhet Avenue, was a striking design by Claude Oakland that incorporated an octagonal central atrium – an exceptionally uncommon feature. The floor plan was organized around this large eight-sided open-air atrium, which was encircled by the home’s living spaces and bedrooms. Eichler was so enamored with the octagonal-atrium design that he actually built two versions of it in Hillsborough: the first was a speculative house that sold to another buyer, and the second he built for his own family after the first was snapped up. This personal residence was one of the most unique custom Eichlers ever built, reflecting Eichler’s willingness to push design boundaries. (Sadly, in subsequent decades the house was remodeled beyond recognition, effectively erasing its original Eichler character.) Nonetheless, in its original form the Eichler residence in Hillsborough embodied the Eichler ideals of indoor-outdoor harmony – with the central atrium bringing light and nature into the heart of the home – elevated to a grand scale.

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Influence: The Bazett House

It’s fitting that Joseph Eichler chose Hillsborough for his final home, because this town also hosted the architectural experience that launched Eichler’s career. In the mid-1940s, before he became a developer, Eichler rented the Bazett House in Hillsborough – a Usonian-style home designed by the legendary Frank Lloyd Wright. Eichler and his family lived in the Bazett House (at 101 Reservoir Road) in 1944–45, and the experience proved transformative. The Bazett House’s open floor plan, floor-to-ceiling glass, and seamless integration with the outdoors made a profound impression on Eichler. He later credited this Wright-designed home with inspiring his own venture into modern homebuilding. In fact, just two years after moving out of the Bazett House, Eichler began developing his first modern tract homes. The influence is evident: Eichler’s signature indoor–outdoor design ethos – atriums, glass walls, and courtyard-centered layouts – can be traced back to Wright’s Usonian principles that he experienced first-hand in Hillsborough. Eichler even had his architects design his early custom homes to emulate aspects of the Bazett House. For example, his 1951 personal home in Atherton (by Anshen & Allen) was conceived “in homage to the Bazett”, incorporating Wright-like geometric patterns and built-in furniture. Thus, Hillsborough’s architectural legacy bookends Eichler’s journey: from the Wright house that inspired him to the last Eichler home he lived in, the town played a pivotal role in shaping Eichler’s modernist vision.

Hillsborough’s Eichler Homes Facts

• Number Built: Approximately 10 Eichler homes were built in Hillsborough (circa early 1960s to early 1970s). Only a handful survive unaltered today, as a few have been demolished or drastically remodeled.
  
  

• Years of Construction: 1963 – 1972 (majority built during 1963-1967; Joseph Eichler’s own home was completed in 1972).
  
  

• Architects Involved: Claude Oakland, Jones & Emmons, John Brooks Boyd (customizing plans for unique sites).
  
  

• Notable Designs in Hillsborough: A classic A-frame Eichler with soaring ceilings on Eucalyptus Ave (custom design by Oakland, 1964); a split-level, two-story Eichler on a hillside near Barroilhet Ave (designed by Boyd with Jones & Emmons, 1964); and Eichler’s own octagonal atrium home on Barroilhet Ave (designed by Oakland, 1972).
  
  

• Eichler’s Connection to Hillsborough: Joseph Eichler’s personal residence (1972–74) was in Hillsborough, and decades earlier he was inspired by living in Frank Lloyd Wright’s Bazett House in Hillsborough (1940s) – experiences that deeply influenced his approach to modern architecture.
  
  

Preservation and Legacy

Because Hillsborough’s Eichler homes are set in one of the nation’s wealthiest communities, they have faced pressure from redevelopment. Skyrocketing land values make the relatively modest Eichler houses prime targets for teardown and replacement with vast new mansions. By the 2010s at least two of the original Hillsborough Eichlers had been lost – either torn down or remodeled into a different style. However, there is a growing appreciation for the rarity and architectural significance of these homes. Preservation-minded buyers have begun to save and restore Hillsborough Eichlers, recognizing them as mid-century modern gems that enrich the town’s character. Local Eichler owners have reported that sellers sometimes prefer to sell to buyers who promise to preserve the home, rather than to developers. As a result, several Hillsborough Eichlers remain intact with original features like mahogany paneling, post-and-beam construction, and radiant heating still in place. These surviving homes – each one unique – stand as a testament to Joseph Eichler’s bold vision: bringing modern architecture into even the most exclusive neighborhoods. Despite the challenges, the Eichlers of Hillsborough continue to be cherished architectural treasures, linking Frank Lloyd Wright’s mid-century ideas to Eichler’s California modern legacy in a truly distinctive setting.