This idyllic retreat includes a new Californian Wine Country barn structure – a subtle addition to an existing property and winery estate for a family wanting to perfect their weekend home. The San Francisco firm working on the project, Malcolm Davis Architects (MDa), worked with the client's desire to spend more time outdoors and connect with nature, crafting a new structure containing a guest suite, covered parking and an outdoor kitchen and living space. The result was developed together with landscape specialist Lucas & Lucas.
A Wine Country barn for living and entertaining
The scheme is the second project MDa has designed for the same client – having also worked on their home in San Francisco. An antithesis to the moody, foggy hills of the big city, the Wine Country barn is conceived to be awash with light, welcoming the outside in from its rural setting. Employing timber and shapes and volumes that feel appropriate to the countryside site and draw on the local vernacular, the barn addition appears respectful to its environment – as if it's always been there. The furniture also fits this concept, and was selected by Grant Gibson Interior Design.
'Rather than focusing on new, innovative techniques, the project is an example of employing timeless passive techniques. For example, outdoor porches with ceiling fans increase comfort outdoors,' the team explain. 'The barn and outdoor living spaces take advantage of the primarily temperate climate, with mechanical and electrical interventions only employed when absolutely necessary, rather than using them for baseline comfort. Similarly, we introduced corrugated polycarbonate skylights at the barn ridge, where the ceiling would typically be darkest below. The spaces beneath the roof line are well lit all day, decreasing the amount of energy consumed by the new structure on site.'
An adjacent pool area sits subtly aligned to the new structure. Its orientation and placement cleverly unite the old house on the property and the addition, bringing everything together. Meanwhile, the locally harvested redwood full-board siding ensures the barn's volumes create a dialogue, not only with the natural surroundings, but also the local history – nearby Healdsburg was originally a mill town.
-
The Emory, RSHP’s first luxury hotel in London, is a rising starNew London hotel The Emory presents the perfect showcase of RSHP’s signature functionalist style and hospitality group Maybourne’s elevated luxury
-
‘Born in Oasi Zegna: The Book’ looks back to the house’s Alpine rootsPublished by Rizzoli, ‘Born in Oasi Zegna’ looks towards the Oasi Zegna natural territory in the Italian Alps, where ZEGNA opened its first wool mill in 1910 and has since fostered a thriving natural ecosystem of more than 500,000 trees
-
The New York art exhibitions to see nowFrom MoMA to the smaller spaces, here are the best New York art exhibitions to catch before in May 2024.
-
Shigeru Ban’s mini Paper Log House welcomed at The Glass House'Shigeru Ban: The Paper Log House' is shown at The Glass House in New Canaan, USA as the house museum of American architect Philip Johnson plays host to the Japanese architect’s model temporary home concept
-
Ray Phoenix to rise in ArizonaRay Phoenix housing project launches, designed by Johnston Marklee, who worked with Lamar Johnson Collaborative, for property experts Ray and Vela
-
A low-energy farmhouse provides a rural escape in North CarolinaThis low-energy farmhouse is a net zero architectural re-set for a Californian client, an East Coast relocation for a more engaged and low-key lifestyle
-
A Petra Island house rises from Frank Lloyd Wright's original drawingsBased on Frank Lloyd Wright drawings, the cantilevering Petra Island Massaro House, located in New York’s Hudson Valley, is now open to visitors
-
An Upper West Side apartment by General Assembly nods to its historyAn Upper West Side apartment in New York, born out of the reimagining of two neighbouring units, is refreshed by General Assembly for a young family
-
New York's Leica store echoes the brand's blend of heritage and innovationLeica store throws open its doors in New York's Meatpacking District, courtesy of Brooklyn based Format Architecture Office
-
Hudson Valley Residence is a low-lying retreat that seamlessly blends into the horizonDesigned by HGX Design, Hudson Valley Residence is a scenic home offering unobstructed views across the Catskill Mountains in Upstate New York
-
Boise Passive House’s bold gestures support an environmentally friendly designBoise Passive House by Haas Architecture combines sleek, contemporary design and environmental efficiency
