Faulkner Architects has completed a private house with a strong geological history that sits at the bottom of a 3-million-year-old volcano in California. It is a north-facing 20-degree slope with an equal portion of shelter and prospect 6,300 feet above mean sea level.
The project is located in an open forest with second-growth Jeffrey pines and white firs. The vertical lines of the trunk, stripped bare by years of deep snow, reach for the sun. Standing at an Angle of the slope, they provide a constant reference to the vertical horizon in the distance. Harsh winters sparse the ground, but partly covered with pine needles and cones.
Surrounding the central road and ramp, the building is made up of massive blocks of thick concrete walls and black steel roofs of varying heights. The combination of concrete and steel makes it both fire resistant and easy to maintain.
A large bedroom suite by the studio occupies the top floor of the house, which also includes a bedroom, bathroom, lounge and terrace with panoramic views of the valley. The entire house is in a quiet built environment, which is muted in colour and tone, which brings the exterior landscape into focus.
- Architect: Faulkner Architects
- Interiors: Faulkner Architects
- Photos: Joe Fletcher
- Words: Gina