Location: Sonoma County. California, United States Year of construction: 1994 Constructor: Fine Carpentry Architects: Fernau and Hartman Architects Associates: Timothy Gray, Beth Piatnitza, Anni Tilt (:design team); Emily Stussi, Kimberly Moses, Sarah De Vito Photography: David Heawitt/Anne Garrison
Right-hand page: View of the Innenhof, an outdoor living and eating area. Each of the exterior spaces has its own identity, determined by architectural detail, the degree of protection against the sun, and the type of vegetation.
The transformation of the purely formal (the composition of units, distribution of spaces, and the achievement of images) into something that embodies desires and memories of different ways of life – something rooted in the memory of attitudes on the point of extinction or merely imagined, other rhythms, and other expectations – is the only way to overcome modern architecture’s tendency toward the purely visual, toward structures designed to be photographed or reproduce photographs.
Although originally intended as a two-person dwelling, this house also had to accommodate a small office and a guest room and provide as much privacy as possible in all areas. The solution adopted is a loft apartment house with two separate buildings creating a series of shared exterior spaces.
The hillside in Sonoma County descends towards the southwest, with views of the vineyards in the Valley of the Moon, where the sun is fierce and sometimes unbearable.
The most striking feature of the scheme is the two towers. The taller one contains a door through which the main traffic routes pass. It looks out over the best views and has a den – bedroom and balcony where you can relax and enjoy the landscape. The smaller of the towers, standing among the trees, next to an enclosed, mystical yard, is at the highest corner of the property. Perfectly situated to enjoy the views and the cooling breeze, this spot is designed as the guest area.
The fierce Californian sun shines brightly on the yellow walls of the main building. The architects have designed different forms of protection from the sun: metal canopies, roll-up drapes, and wooden pergolas.
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Different levels are a feature of the Von Stein Residence. Light streams in to the lower floor. View of the kitchen. There are two types of flooring in the house: parquet and polished concrete. Contrary to expectation, the concrete is in the living room and the parquet flooring is in the kitchen. |
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Right-band page: View of the living room. The master bedroom is constructed like a balcony over the living room. Large, translucent, sliding panels make it possible to connect the two areas or separate the bedroom from the living room. |