Panoramic Hill

Berkeley’s most unique and romantic neighborhood

Named “Berkeley’s Most Romantic Neighborhood” by the Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association, Panoramic Hill is well deserving of this accolade. Surrounded on three sides by rustic canyons, hiking trails, ridges and open land, the Hill offers a rare combination of natural beauty, spectacular vistas, environmentally sensitive development, and convenience to the University and downtown Berkeley.

Tucked away on the wooded slopes southeast of the University, this remote, unspoiled enclave is dotted with one-of-a-kind “vernacular” homes which have been designed to offer glimpses of natural beauty and rustic architecture while complementing their hilly, irregular lots. Crafted of natural materials and built in subtle harmony amidst these natural settings, Panoramic Hill features no less than eleven homes listed in the State Historic Resources Inventory, including homes designed by Julia Morgan and Walter Steilberg.

Some of the most sought-after homes are the simple brown-shingled cottages and bungalows by famed California architect Bernard Maybeck. Creativity continues to flourish on the Hill with a number of unusual contemporary homes including a Frank Lloyd Wright Usonian house and a recent renovation by California architect Mark Mack designed to take advantage of the many commanding views from the Hill.

Most of the homes on the Hill are within walking distance to the open spaces of Strawberry and Claremont Canyons.

Back to Communities