Schwartz and Architecture launch Lichen House

Lichen House within the hills of Sonoma Valley

Lichen House, designed by Neal Schwartz and his San Franscisco based firm, sits within the hills of Sonoma Valley. Photography: Richard Barnes

(Image credit: Richard Barnes)

By Ellie Stathaki

last updated 6 September 2022

Nestled in the rolling hills of California’s Sonoma Valley, this new house’s discreet, low volume sits in complete harmony with its environment. Created to take its cues from its surroundings, in a harmonious coexistence, its grey, transparent form looks and feels, at the same time, thoroughly modern.

Its architect, Neal Schwartz, likens it to lichen. ‘The precise relationship between lichen and its host provides inspiration for an architecture specifically tailored to its site - both as a response to it and as an augmentation of its best attributes’, he says. The design, for a young family, Schwartz explains, does not mimic blindly, but attempts to expand our understanding and experience of nature, through architecture.

Drawing a more literal parallel, the plot’s oak trees support actual, draping Ramalina Lichen. These, not only filter sunlight, but also capture moisture and remove pollutants from the air, making a remarkable contribution to the site. This supports a unique microclimate.

Take an interactive tour of Lichen House

Similarly, Lichen House is conceived as a ‘porous and breathable building’, where each opening is carefully positioned to ensure the best conditions for the residents, both inside and out. The structure is orientated so that it makes the most out of the daylight and passive heating opportunities the area’s pleasant climate and geography provides.

Planned in a T-shaped arrangement, the house features a wing of generous, open plan public spaces and two wings of private areas that include five bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms and ample storage and service spaces. Operable windows ensure privacy where needed, while allowing the option of letting the outdoors in. Wood detailing and floors soften the concrete and glass building’s interior.

The driveway leads up to a large garage, while a garden, wide deck and a swimming pool sit on the plot’s opposite side, offering long views of the valley, making the most of this contemporary house’s striking location.

Lichen House low, grey volume was designed to be discreet — The house's low, grey volume was designed to be discreet and work in harmony with its environment. *Photography: Richard Barnes*

Lichen House tactile materials and strategically placed openings — Working with tactile materials and strategically placed openings, Schwartz and his team aimed to create a pleasant microclimate for the residents. *Photography: Richard Barnes*

Lichen House is a porous and breathable building — Lichen House is conceived as a ‘porous and breathable building’. *Photography: Richard Barnes*

Concrete and glass building’s interior of the Lichen House — Wood detailing and floors soften the concrete and glass building’s interior. *Photography: Richard Barnes*

T-shaped floorplan and pool area of the Lichen House — The building's T-shaped floorplan creates ample outdoor space. *Photography: Richard Barnes*

Deck and swimming pool of the Lichen House — The more private part of the garden also contains a deck and swimming pool. *Photography: Richard Barnes*

Outside structure placed to gain daylight and passive heating — The structure is orientated so that it makes the most out of daylight and passive heating. *Photography: Richard Barnes*

a cosy family room with orange chair and grey ottomans — While common areas are located in a separate wing of the house, the private spaces include a cosy family room. *Photography: Richard Barnes*

The house contains five generous bedrooms... *Photography: Richard Barnes*

Each bedroom has it's own en-suite bathrooms — ..with their own en-suite bathrooms. *Photography: Richard Barnes*

Large, operable windows in bedrooms — Large, operable windows ensure indoors and outdoors can merge into one at the owners' wish. *Photography: Richard Barnes*

INFORMATION

For more information visit the Schwartz and Architecture website

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Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture Editor 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) and Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020).

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