This spectacular modern house of glass and steel was renovated by Fougeron Architecture, suspended between two wooded hills in California. Not only does this minimalist refuge span a creek, it also boasts a waterfall in the backyard. A human-made object in nature may exist in harmony or disparity.
The project teams goal was to deepen this home’s connection to the environment, creating a place where the homeowners can reside immersed within an exceptional landscape. Taking great care to protect and restore the land, the architects suspended the 2,505 square foot structure between two rugged hills. From this perspective, it overlooks a rushing waterfall and spans the creek below.
DESIGN DETAILS: ARCHITECT Fougeron Architecture GENERAL CONTRACTOR Barry Builders STRUCTURAL ENGINEER Endres Studio CIVIL ENGINEER Adobe Associates LANDSCAPE DESIGN Ground Studio
To build such a house anew is no longer allowed in California, but following strict guidelines, we reconceived an existing structure, transforming the relationships between home, water and land. A steel frame inserted beneath the original floors anchors the home to the rocky hillsides, thus allowing us to remove supporting columns from within the creek bed.
Transparent materials, and carefully considered sight lines merge the home with this dramatic landscape. The two lower floors stay studiously within the confines of the original building; yet the minimal glass volumes, steeped in the surrounding beauty, feel more expansive than ever.
A third floor addition strikes a more slender profile facing east, to engage the breadth of the site. The experience is one of being in nature and also humbled by it.
What We Love: This sensational glass house in California is positioned over a creek bed to fully immerse the structure and its inhabitants with nature. Large eaves help to provide shelter from the sun, whether indoors or out. Minimal design and extensive walls of glazing help to focus attention on the surrounding views of nature. We can imagine how cool this place would be during rainstorms, watching the water rushing below the house from a comfortable perch on the upper level.
Tell Us: What details in this renovation project do you find most intriguing? Let us know in the Comments below!
Note: Be sure to have a look at a couple of other sensational home tours that we have highlighted here on One Kindesign in the state of California: A serene home merges with its breathtaking setting of Carmel by the Sea and Amazing off-the-grid wilderness mountain cabin in California’s High Sierra.
PHOTOGRAPHER Joe Fletcher
1 comment