San Mateo Highlands, Residential district in San Mateo County, California, United States.
San Mateo Highlands is a residential neighborhood in San Mateo County, California, set on elevated ground that looks out over San Francisco Bay. The streets are lined with single-family homes, most of them built in the 1950s, giving the area a consistent low-profile look.
The neighborhood was developed in the 1950s by Joseph Eichler, a builder known for bringing modernist design to California suburbs. His work here set the tone for the whole area from the start.
Many homes here feature large glass walls that face the garden, blurring the line between inside and outside. This approach to domestic space was unusual for its time and still feels deliberate when you walk through the streets.
The neighborhood is easiest to explore by car, as the streets are calm and straightforward to navigate. The Highlands Recreation District provides facilities like a pool and tennis courts that are open to visitors.
Joseph Eichler was not a trained architect but a real estate developer who had lived in a modernist home and wanted to make that kind of space available to more people. That personal experience drove his decision to build in this style across California.
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