The Glass House is considered one of the best residential works of Wurster, who was the founding dean of UC Berkeley’s College of Environmental Design. This simply detailed, shed roof house was built on a modest budget and sited on a double lot to capture spectacular views. Its design expresses Wurster’s regional approach to modernism that emphasized living in harmony with nature.

Everett and Marie Glass both taught at UC Berkeley. Everett Glass was an actor and professor of Dramatic Arts who appeared in more than 40 Hollywood movies, including science fiction thrillers and westerns. Marie Glass, a graduate of Wellesley College, was an associate supervisor of physical education for women and a member of the National Tennis Committee. They built their home in a north Berkeley enclave of academic families and kindred souls, recommissioning Wurster to design an addition and a small artist’s studio as their family and interests grew. Shared pathways among the adjacent properties give the hillside the sense of a country village.