A Small Modern Home Overlooks Olive Trees in Sonoma by Cooper Joseph Studio.

Cooper Joseph Studio, formerly Wendy Joseph Evans Architecture, has designed this small 850 square guest house in the Dry Creek area of Sonoma. Located on a terraced hill, the modern structure overlooks a field of olive trees and is nestled amongst lavender and rosemary. The home was designed for two scientists who grow olives and make olive oil, keep bees and produce honey, garden and many other endeavors that take advantage of the area’s climate, soils and site.







Situated at the top of an olive orchard, the exposure faces north, taking advantage of the breezes, and shade from existing forests to the south. Exploiting an existing open area with particularly hard clay soils, no trees were removed. The goal was to create an energy efficient, compact dwelling where the clients could sit in shaded areas, entertain friends with their own food production, and enjoy the wonderful views across agricultural lands. The 30-foot-high concrete wall dividing the house was a technical achievement, according to the architects. The home also has a solar array for power and a high albedo [surface reflection] roof.






The interior:







Site plans and architectural drawings:





Small House, 2011
Sonoma, CA


Client: Charles Homcy / Diana Sylvestre
Architect: Cooper Joseph Studio, New York
Design Principal: Wendy Evans Joseph, Chris Cooper
Project Architects: Wendy Evans Joseph and Chris Cooper
Project Manager: Chris Good
Project Team: Chris Good and Farzana Gandhi
Architect of Record: Richardson Architects
Structural Engineer: Tysinger & Associates Structural Engineers
Landscape Architect: Jacobsen Landscaping
Interior Designer: Cooper Joseph Studio
Contractor: Red Horse Construction
Construction Manager: David Warner
Zinc Siding: VM Zinc
Composite Decking: Timber Deck
Resin: 3-Form
Counter Tops: Caeserstone
Oak Millwork: Custom-stained Oak
Site Area: 25 Acres
Building Area: 850 sq. ft. enclosed

Additional photos courtesy of Elliott Kaufman Photography, additional information courtesy of California Architects

Cooper Joseph Studio

Pre-fabULOUS: Sonoma Residence by CSS Architects

I keep saying I can't afford to buy the type of house I'd like here in California. But these prefabs are getting more beautiful everytime I look. Granted, one still has to pony up quite a bit of dough for property in the sunny state, but if I could find an affordable piece of property, I'd love to plunk down a house like this one in Sonoma.

This new 2000 square foot house is on a 5-acre flat parcel within an existing grove of walnut trees. An existing house, which was on the edge of the property, was demolished and replaced with this in the heart of the site to take advantage of the orchard beauty.




The site:
The house was carefully located to nestle up to the existing trees and to be within the field, so that it became a pavilion in the landscape. Hardscape, softscape and trees were added to create a blended effect and to provide outdoor living spaces. The swimming pool is located on axis with the house and further takes advantage of the setting.





The house:


The design is rooted in the notion of radical simplicity for aesthetic effect and for budget. The house is a 20ft by 100ft box with a slightly sloped roof, which is then counter-posed with the metal roof for effect, and for shade. This metal canopy is also there to link the house to the legacy of ‘farm vernacular’.




The house has exterior walls and a roof built from SIPS (structural insulated panels), which replaces typical ‘stick framing’. This expedites construction, provides for higher insulation, and is a more sustainable way to build than typical methods.





The interior and materials:
There are two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and one large open space for cooking, eating and living…all of which open up equalaterally on both sides to the site.

Off-the-shelf 8ft high sliding glass doors are the windows and the doors – proving light, views, and vivid connections to the land. Cabinets are painted MDF to blend in with walls and ceilings, while floors are pre-finished bamboo and carpet. The two fireplaces are gas only to avoid the burning of firewood. Light fixtures are standard exterior types with metallic finishes. The exterior walls are clad in vertical slats of stained cedar over painted plywood.




Location: Sonoma, CA, address withheld per owner’s request
Type: new home, 2000 sf
Completion: May 2005
Owner: Carrie Neiderer
Budget/Cost: under $200 per square foot
Architectural, Landscape & Interiors Team:CCS Architecture (Cass Calder Smith)
www.ccs-architecture.com

Design Principals: Cass Smith, Aaron Maret
Consultants:
Landscape Contractor:
Sonoma Mission Gardens Landscaping; Sonoma, CA

Metal Canopy Roof
Stoltz Metals; Richmond, CA
www.stoltzmetals.com/pages/gallery_arch7.html

Engineer: Paul Geddings; Grass Valley, CA
General Contractor: Jim Allen; Sebastopol, CA
Photographer: CCS Architecture (scouting shots)