Project Statement
PROJECT STATEMENT
A contemporary pastoral architecture project made up of clean lines and tones of natural materials, it is based on a 17-acre site halfway up a hillside less than two miles north of Sonoma's Historic Square and surrounded by lush forest with views of sonoma Valley and San Francisco Bay. The entire building is self-sufficient and can generate enough energy through hidden photovoltaic panels to meet the power demand within the site and charge the owner's vehicle. A wicker-roofed metal gallery provides shade below and clearly defines the outdoor dining and living room areas by the pool. A range of custom concrete landscaped facilities within the project were all completed by landscape architects, including outdoor kitchen cabinets, two water features, pool decks, and fire pits. At the top of the venue, there is a gravel terrace with a gas stove, utilizing a dramatic existing volcanic rock as a backdrop. From here, you can overlook the spectacular vineyards below and the polo court nestled among the original rock crevices.
This compound of rural contemporary buildings with clean geometry and a palette of natural materials steps up and down the steep, wooded 17-acre site. Less than two miles north of Sonoma’s historic square, it features views over the Sonoma Valley and beyond to San Francisco across the Bay. The entire compound is off-grid, generating enough energy with hidden PV panels to power all on-site electrical needs, and charge the owner’s electric vehicles. Arbors of woven willow panels set in steel frames provide shade and define the outdoor living and dining rooms, flanking the swimming pool terrace. A family of custom concrete elements was fabricated to the landscape architects design, including the outdoor kitchen counters, two water features, the pool terrace and fire pit. At the top of the site, a gravel terrace with gas fire pit utilizing a dramatic existing volcanic rock as its backdrop, overlooks a bocce court with spectacular vineyard views, laid into a gap in the native rock outcroppings.
▲Site plan
Description of the project
PROJECT NARRATIVE
Sonoma is a top destination for some owners in the Bay Area who will be looking for and buying property near town. The project site is located on a steep hillside less than 2 miles north of the historic square and covers an area of 17 acres.
It is a contemporary pastoral building composed of neat lines and tones of natural materials, the main materials of which include large-panel glass, linear stone veneer, transverse cedar board and concrete. One of the highlights of the project is that it preserves and utilizes existing oak woodlands and volcanic rocks. It replaced the earlier residences and fully demonstrated the Sonoma Valley and the landscape from the bay to San Francisco. The landscape architects worked with architects and builders to make the most of the limited horizontal spaces, ramps, parking lots, terraces and outdoor surrounding grounds. The entire building is self-sufficient, and the energy generated through hidden photovoltaic panels can not only meet the power demand within the site, but also charge the owner's electric vehicle.
On both sides of the entrance gravel path that leads from the municipal road into the residence, several curved low walls are set up, and the ground is covered with plants Stachys and Buteloua, forming an entrance landscape that reflects the Inca style. The slightly higher entrance walls are combined with delicate Montana stones, with an automatic steel gate in between, echoing the railing, as a secure entrance to the residence. There is also a circulating drive system at the entrance to contact the fire department, while the existing trees at the entrance are preserved as much as possible.
Guest rooms, a games room, and a small lawn are designed among the trees at the lowest point of the site. It can be overlooked from the condensed garage platform and low walls on the half-slope. The garage and underground residences needed to be accessed from the gravel driveway, where custom concrete fountain sculptures reflecting the height of the owner's three adult children were placed.
The client wanted most of the family's daily life to be concentrated on the same floor, so the designers made the bedrooms, kitchens, and living rooms on the second floor all facing the pool with concrete terraces, and ensured that all of these rooms had views of sonoma Valley and San Francisco. Custom concrete outdoor kitchen cabinets echo the stone waterfall kitchen counters while emphasizing an effect consistent with the building's horizontal pine panels. The wicker-roofed metal porch not only provides shade below, but also clearly defines the outdoor dining area and living room along with the custom-made concrete stove.
A stone staircase passage with planted niches leads to the top of the site. Once overgrown and rocky, it was considered by customers to be a spectacular, adventurous destination worth developing. The designers used the dramatic existing volcanic rock as a backdrop, in which a gas stove was set up as a gravel terrace, where the bocce court could be seen below. During the day, the Moon Garden displays a mixture of green, gray and white colors of the rocky lichens, and in the evening, it collects the bright moonlight of the Moonlight Valley.
The swimming pool reflects the reflection of existing oak trees, two sets of circulating water features provide a breather for the hot summer months, and the extensive use of local plants closely links the building to its surroundings.
▲ This large room is completely open to the pool deck. For this contemporary pastoral building, the designers carefully selected the site and made full use of the limited space within the site.
The great room fully open to the pool terrace. The rural contemporary compound was carefully sited and stepped to take best advantage of limited level space.
▲The curved low wall designed with on-site stone blocks reflects the Inca style. The true secure entrance is a combination of a higher wall and automatic steel gates.
Low gently curving walls utilize on-site boulders fit together in the Incan style. Taller entry walls and an automatic steel gate provide security and announce the entry into the property.
▲ Rooms, games rooms and small recreation lawns hidden in the bushes under the garage.
The guesthouse, game room, and small play lawn are tucked into the trees below the car barn.
▲ From the guest room to the entrance of the residence: You can see the existing oak trees that remain in the middle of the gravel road.
The entry tower of the residence viewed from the guesthouse. Native oaks were preserved, even where they met gravel paths.
▲ On the sand-paved parking lot, a concrete fountain sculpture reflecting the height difference between the owner's three children was placed. The fountain was housed on a mixed planting bed.
In the gravel auto court a custom concrete fountain element mirrors the height differentials of the owners’ three adult children. The fountain is set in a bed of Epimedium x. p. ‘Frohnleiten’ and Juncus p. ‘Carmen’s Grey’, with Woodwardia fimbriata and Viburnum davidii.
Wolverines and anemones outside the gym are chasing the afternoon sun.
Pennisetum spathiolatum and Anemone j. ‘Honorine Jobert’ catch the late afternoon sun outside the exercise room.
Against the backdrop of Marin and San Francisco, the pool reflects the reflection of existing oak trees and stones.
The pool captures the reflection of existing oaks and boulders in the foreground, with views of Marin and San Francisco beyond.
▲Customized concrete pool landscape outside the master bedroom
The custom concrete water feature outside the master bedroom.
▲ Metal porches with wicker roofs not only provide shade below, but also define the outdoor dining area and living room along with the custom concrete stove.
Arbors of woven willow panels set in steel frames provide much needed filtered shade, and help define the outdoor dining room and outdoor living room with custom concrete fire pit.
▲ Outdoor dining and kitchen with shade shelter and heating.
The outdoor dining and outdoor kitchen with shade arbor and heaters.
▲ Custom concrete outdoor cabinetry echoes the stone waterfall kitchen.
Custom concrete outdoor kitchen counters echo the stone waterfall kitchen.
▲ The stone staircase passage leading to the top floor has a planted niche embedded in it. It is planted Adiantum r. 'Pacific Maid', Leptinella s. 'Platts Black', Viola labradorica and Campanula murallis.
Stone and gravel steps leading up to the top level feature a planted grotto at the midway landing, with Adiantum r. ‘Pacific Maid’, Leptinella s. ‘Platts Black’, Viola labradorica and Campanula murallis.
▲ The bocce court is arranged in a native rocky clearing in the Moon Garden, surrounded by some terrestrial quilts, such as Festuca i.'Siskiyou Blue', Cotyledon o. 'Flavida', Eriogonum giganteum, and Dudleya hydrids.
The bocce court laid into a gap in the native rock outcroppings in the Moon Garden, featuring Festuca i.‘Siskiyou Blue’, Cotyledon o. ‘Flavida’, Eriogonum giganteum, and Dudleya hydrids.
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