Project Size: 2,667 square feet

Program: A family living in rural California wanted a comfortable house with open communal spaces to host extended family and friends.

Location: The house is located on an 80-acre agricultural site in California's Central Coast wine region.

Solution: The architects designed the house as two parallel volumes to separate private and communal activities and create a courtyard in between. These volumes, covered by a flat roof with deep overhangs to offer shade from the desert sun, consist of concrete block walls interspersed with floor-to-ceiling windows and Cor-Ten steel panels. Communal living and dining areas, in the west volume, lead to a covered outdoor terrace and pool. Private spaces, including a master suite, two bedrooms, and a playroom, are in the east volume and have separate entrances.

Construction methods: Despite summer temperatures of 115 degrees, the house does not require air conditioning due to a number of sustainable strategies: insulated concrete masonry, proper building orientation, roof overhangs to shade floor-to-ceiling glazing, and passive ventilation.

Materials:
Solar-Stone" CMU by Basalite (sandblasted)
Semco, aluminum-clad wood windows

Architect:
Aidlin Darling Design
500 Third Street, Suite 410
San Francisco, CA 94107
(415) 974 5603
info@aidlindarlingdesign.com