Cloverdale Residence / info >

The site is a vineyard located above Cloverdale on a steep south slope overlooking the valley below. Stands of mature oaks and rock outcroppings frame the existing pool and house site. A 1970s kit log home with few connections to the land or views occupied the ideal location above the pool. Our strategy was to utilize all of the existing site improvements and reuse the wood from the existing kit log structure to build a new 2150 square foot house that would open out to the land and take advantage of the expansive views and south facing exposure.

Committed to sustainable practices, the owners requested a house that would have minimal impact on the site and be easy to use. Memories of growing up with ample screened porches led to a strategy that incorporated the screened-in living space as an integral part of the house. Including the porch in the body of the house allowed it to double as an entry to the guest bedrooms, reducing the need for circulation and the overall footprint of the house. The south facing roof carries a PV array and solar hot water panels which provide much of the energy needed for the house. Concrete floor slabs supported by PV powered heat pumps provide either radiant heating or cooling depending on seasonal need. All of the interior and exterior wood paneling, trim and decking was milled down from the logs of the original kit house.