Where Hospitality Meets Home: The Clara Redefines Luxury Rentals in Silicon Valley

Source: The Clara

Reported By: Matthew Kennedy

June 20th, 2025 – In Silicon Valley, where innovation shapes nearly every aspect of life, the concept of home is getting a thoughtful redesign. Rising 22 stories into the Santa Clara skyline, The Clara is not simply another amenitized rental tower—it’s a masterclass in blending hospitality-grade sophistication with everyday livability.

Developed by Related California and designed in collaboration with an elite team—architecture by Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, interiors by AvroKO, and landscape design by Surfacedesign, Inc.—The Clara is an elevated answer to a saturated rental market increasingly defined by sameness. Here, the details don’t shout—they resonate.

Known for transforming global destinations like 1 Hotel and Waldorf Astoria into sensory experiences, AvroKO brings that same ethos to The Clara’s interiors. This marks a shift in residential design, one where everyday spaces are imagined through the lens of high-end hospitality. The result? Residences and amenity areas that feel intuitive, emotionally resonant, and remarkably refined.

AvroKO’s vision is tactile and tonal. A grounding palette of natural materials—local woods, curated stones, and hand-glazed ceramics—builds a textural story, layer by layer. The design team mapped the color scheme to mimic the local Northern California environment: deeper, earthier hues closer to ground level; soft blues and luminous golds ascending upward, reflecting the clarity of sky and sea.

It’s not just a design choice—it’s an atmospheric gesture. From the moment you enter, the interiors prompt a sense of calm and cohesion that’s often missing in high-density residential buildings. Every space, from a shared lounge to a quiet reading nook, is as functional as it is emotionally intelligent.

Framing this design is the work of Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, the award-winning architecture firm celebrated for its ability to merge modernist principles with local topography. At The Clara, the firm crafted a vertical expression of Northern California’s architectural vernacular. Framed views are purposeful, guiding the eye toward the Diablo Range, Santa Cruz Mountains, and—on a clear day—the shimmer of the Pacific.

Throughout the building, sightlines and material choices invite the outdoors in. It’s a form of quiet luxury—less spectacle, more depth—that feels inherently tied to place. The architecture doesn’t just respond to the landscape; it converses with it.

With 508 residences, ranging from studios and three-bedroom apartments to townhomes and penthouses, The Clara offers more than variety—it offers intentionality. Each unit is designed with spatial intelligence and curated finishes that reflect the building’s overarching ethos: thoughtful, not trendy.

But it’s the 60,000 square feet of indoor-outdoor amenity space that redefines what renters should expect. Instead of the usual checkbox offerings, the amenities at The Clara are designed to foster community, well-being, and everyday ease—hallmarks of hospitality environments that are now, finally, informing residential design.

Whether gathering in a richly appointed communal kitchen or stepping into a landscaped terrace with panoramic views, residents are met with meaningful spaces that encourage presence and connection. It’s not about flash—it’s about function, beautifully rendered.