COLEMAN VALLEY ROAD RESIDENCE

This rural off-grid residence is composed of 6 functional "pods" each connected by roof and deck elements to form a whole, while simultaneously divided to place each function uniquely within the site. The house perimeter and interior are tied to specific views which encircle the property. Distant vistas of the Pacific Ocean, Bodega Harbor, Point Reyes, and Tamales Bay abound to the West and South on clear days. Inland views to the East include terrain as far as the Geysers, Mount St. Helena, and Mt. Diablo. Each view and the overall vistas are captured by the house which is the occupant's lens to the landscape. The heavy marine layer completely changes the atmosphere of the place and occupants become engulfed in fog. In this way, the interior spaces and edges are platform to engage with the weather and its progression through each day. Earth berms protect from North winds and camouflage the house from neighbors and travelers on Coleman Valley Road. Building materials are simple, marine safe, and wildfire resistive. The pod buildings exhibit a regular, articulated structure of column, wall, and beam. Structural steel frames support the main living porches with cantilevered corners over the ground plane. The house moves across the landscape engaging with the ground at the berms and hovering above the natural topography as it gently falls away.