The Sebastopol Residence, situated among rolling hills in northern California
The Sebastopol Residence, situated among rolling hills in northern California
(Image credit: press)
By Ellie Stathaki
last updated

Situated among rolling hills in northern California, the Sebastopol Residence was designed for two graphic designers, and it is one of San Francisco-based Turnbull Griffin and Haesloop architect’s latest residential works.

Completed in 2009, the house sits on a steep slope and is positioned between two redwood trees with an east-west orientation, in order for the long sides to enjoy the best views. The concept is simple; a long rectangular wooden one-level box, which will include, apart from the regular residential living and sleeping space, also a studio, which doubles as a garage, and a pool area.

The north elevation opens up completely to the landscape, making the most of the expansive views, while the more closed up southern side, protects the inhabitants from the nearby road and the driveway.

Clad in cedar, topped off with a metal roof, the house feels warm and homely, finished with Douglas Fir ceiling and decking, sheetrock walls and ipe flooring. Despite being a modest 1,700 sq ft, due to the open plan arrangements and the merging of inside and outside through the clever use of large openings, it feels airy and provides the owners the appropriate space to showcase their art collection.

“When we first walked the site we were struck by the mature redwood stands flanking either side of a large bowl-shaped meadow that sloped down in the direction of the view." say the architects. "Because of the steep slope of the site we thought the house should span across the bowl to claim the view and connect to the land at either end, anchored by the mature stands of redwoods.”

Open towards the expansive views, the Sebastopol House makes the surrounding nature one of the commission’s leading protagonists.

The house is positioned between two redwood trees with an east-west orientation

The house is positioned between two redwood trees with an east-west orientation

(Image credit: press)

The north elevation opens up completely to the landscape, making the most of the expansive views

The north elevation opens up completely to the landscape, making the most of the expansive views

(Image credit: press)

Clad in cedar, the house is topped off with a metal roof

Clad in cedar, the house is topped off with a metal roof

(Image credit: press)

The studio doubles as a garage

The studio doubles as a garage

(Image credit: press)

The house is finished with Douglas Fir decking

The house is finished with Douglas Fir decking

(Image credit: press)

Rear view of the studio

Rear view of the studio

(Image credit: press)

The house has been built to be at one with its surroundings

The house has been built to be at one with its surroundings

(Image credit: press)

The clever use of large openings merges inside and outside

The clever use of large openings merges inside and outside

(Image credit: press)

The pool area

The pool area

(Image credit: press)

The master bedroom

The master bedroom

(Image credit: press)

The dining area

The dining area

(Image credit: press)

The kitchen and dining area featuring the Douglas Fir ceiling, sheetrock walls and ipe flooring

The kitchen and dining area featuring the Douglas Fir ceiling, sheetrock walls and ipe flooring

(Image credit: press)

The open plan arrangement provides the owners the appropriate space to showcase their art collection

The open plan arrangement provides the owners the appropriate space to showcase their art collection

(Image credit: press)

The house is a long rectangular, wooden, one-level box

The house is a long rectangular, wooden, one-level box

(Image credit: press)
Ellie Stathaki

Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).

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