Nestled within a grove of heritage oaks, this home creates a dynamic haven for a growing family in Northern California. The existing lot, selected for its dramatic trees and location, was noted by the clients to lack vertical interest. The design strategy embraced this comment by sculpting the ground plane and creating a series of subtle, bas-relief-inspired design gestures at a variety of scales that define the program and inform the occupation of the site.

To maximize the existing site, the home was carefully located to avoid removing any heritage trees while generating framed views of these same trees from within the home. From the exterior, the home’s form is designed as a canvas upon which the ever-changing play of light and shadow can be projected.

The primary form consists of three distinct elements. Planar walls of cast-in-place concrete anchor the home to the earth. A series of wood-clad enclosures float amongst these walls while a series of deep metal frames stitch the wooden elements together. The two monolithic concrete walls have a series of fluid lines cast into their exterior and interior surfaces. An abstraction of the shadows from the surrounding flora integrates subtle shifts within the concrete surface that are enhanced by a change in texture. The team worked with the contractor, formwork fabricators, and concrete suppliers to achieve the desired effect.

Responding to the human scale and that of the adjacent trees, the bas-relief adds a sense of movement to these structural elements. The secondary cedar-clad forms define the private areas and run continuously from exterior to interior. A biophilic connection of the spaces is accomplished through large glazed openings, material continuity, and integration of landscape elements.

A series of tertiary metal frames further define the program and tie the architectural form together. Working at a variety of scales these frames include a reading nook in the living area, a seating area in the primary bedroom, and a subtly defined cooking area within a cabinetry system at the kitchen. A large south-facing frame sponsors a wood and metal solar screen at the primary stair. Custom cast resin treads respond to the dappled sunlight projected through the screen. Immediately adjacent, a living wall extends to the lower lever and acts as a backdrop to the heavily sculpted terraced landscape and fountain.

Curvilinear pathways connect the home with the site’s features, including a circular steel sculpture, rock garden, swimming pool, koi pond, fire pit, guest house, dining terrace, and raised wooden decks. The koi pond allows the family room to be physically near but formally separate from the living area. The koi can be viewed from multiple spaces and through the glass floor of the connecting bridge.

This highly sculpted home that fully integrates nature at every turn seek to inspires the family’s children physically, psychologically, and creatively through their childhood years and beyond.