New Point of View

New Point of View is a single family residence incorporating biophilic and aging in place design concepts while exploring moments of groundedness and airiness.

Photo Captions

1. INITIAL SITE DETAILS: Initial site views and nearby rock formations.

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1. SITE PLAN WITH INITIAL CONCEPT DIAGRAMS: The site opportunities and constraints were first defined by the cliff edges, which are positioned on two sides of the house. One cliff edge looks across the large, open valley, while the other looks down into a shady ravine. The initial approach was for the home to appear camouflaged into the surrounding rocks and trees with the exterior finish selections. As you moved closer to the entry, you would have a moment of complete transparency, looking through the front door all the way to the other side of the valley.

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1. FLOOR PLAN AND SECTIONS: As with the winding and trickling nature of the site, the path from the entry through the family room unhurriedly flows through the open spaces, absorbing the beauty beyond the home. For the more private areas of the home, the paths are laid out in a more efficient manner with double loaded hallways and cabinetry layouts. To signify prominence with the rooflines, the covered entry reverses the roof slope of the adjacent spaces.

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1. ENTRY VIEW - ROOF AND STONE BASE LINES: The concept of groundedness versus airiness is utilized in the proportion of the exterior material finishes and height of the structure. To give the base of the house a heavier feeling, the top of stone was brought up to the bottom of the counter height windows at the entry side. To not let the structure feel overbearing in size, a low-sloped, metal roof was incorporated.

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1. ENTRY PLAZA: The home wraps a front parking area and creates an initial material connection to the property. The front entry stair is the main entry, while the ramped entry meets the mud area (in consideration of aging in place for the homeowners). Large rocks from the site are incorporated into the surrounding landscaping. The initial goal was for the plaza to feel cozy, settled and contained.

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1. ENTRY MOMENT: The large covered porch combines a light filled entryway juxtaposed with the heaviness of the adjacent exterior walls - creating a moment of drama and sensation. For the indoor / outdoor feeling to be more seamless, exterior wood ceilings and stone pavers were continued into the interiors in selected areas.

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1. STRUCTURAL CONNECTION WITH SITE: With the closeness to the cliff edge, the foundations were embedded into the existing rock. In designing against an irregular edge, site challenges were met with cantilevered spaces and decks along with a lower stone patio, which furthered the feeling of the home as a tree house. Forms begin to mimic nature of the site’s cantilevered rocks and overlapping growth.

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1. CANTILEVER DECK: The goal was to maximize the experience of the views while also contradicting the initial rested feelings of the house exterior with an exhilarating moment of the cantilevered deck edge.

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1. CANTILEVER DECK AND LOWER PATIO: In efforts of layering outdoor spaces at the cliff edge, the cantilever deck spills down into a lower patio area of locally sourced stone.

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1. EXTERIOR MATERIALITY: In an effort for low-maintenance and high durability of the exterior, the finish selections included a locally sourced stone base and a sustainable wood cladding (also chosen for its color and ability to deter carpenter bees). These selections also gave a cohesive look and feel in regards to the surrounding site. For the deck and screened porch, engineered composite decking and stainless steel railings minimize the need for future painting and staining while continuing the quiet aesthetic of the architectural design.. To provide orchestrated breaks in the wood and stone exterior, metal clad cantilevers and step-backs ripple throughout the perimeter, and further balance the darkness of the roof and window colors. . The detached workshop leans more into the darker metal with wood accent to tie back visually to the home, while utilizing more a more utilitarian exterior with the corrugated metal exterior with a powder coated finish.

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1. LIVING SPACES: The family room, kitchen and informal dining areas are open concept to allow for wider expanses of views to the valley and woods beyond. Wood of the exterior soffits carries to the interior to give the high ceiling a cozier feeling. Thinner lighting selections were made to not block the views. As a thoughtful tie-in to the site, the more unique pieces of stone at the fireplaces are pieces of stone found on site.

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1. INTERIOR MATERIALITY: The initial interior color pallet began with inspiration from the existing moss covered rocks - mixing blues, greens, creams, and tans. This is first seen in the kitchen and powder room stone, and then moves into the bathrooms. The varying wood tones help create a nestled feeling without a heaviness.

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1. SCREENED PORCH: Laid out as a second living space, the screened porch is occupied nearly as often as the interior family spaces. Positioned next to the ravine cliff edge, this porch is mostly surrounded by trees and often catches breeze from the west and from below, making it even more enjoyable in the hot summer months. On the cooler days, the wood-burning fireplace and heat-radiant light fixtures keep the family gathering here year round.

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1. OWNERS’ WING: The owners always envisioned a bedroom that felt like it was completely outdoors and an office that started the morning with an eastern view. To give the owners a completely private zone, their bedroom, office and bathroom all branch off of the owners’ hallway. At the bedroom, automated black-out shades are built-in for the ability to sleep-in without the morning light. In an effort to echo the benefits of being out in surrounding nature, almost every space in the house looks into the trees or the valley. Spaces without windows play up the greens, blues, and browns of the surrounding site. All of this effort is with the underlying concept of biophilic design in visually connecting with nature as a benefit of health and wellness.

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1. GUEST WING: Located towards the front of the house (south side), the guest wing runs between the wooded area and the parking area. To amplify greenery while shielding unwanted views, transom windows were positioned in the bathrooms to look into the surrounding trees. At the guest bedroom and the bunk room, a taller window ensemble, at a large window seat, reiterates the verticality of the room and the trees beyond. For an efficient use of space, storage is built in throughout rooms. A hidden kids area is built-in above the walk-in closets and accessed through a ladder in the kid’s closet.

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