Feldman Architecture creates hilltop house in California's wine country
US studio Feldman Architecture has created a Sonoma County dwelling called The Phoenix, which replaces a fire-destroyed home and features outdoor spaces for "calm moments of immersion" in the landscape.
Situated atop a ridge in the small town of Healdsburg, the holiday house is afforded sweeping vistas of the region, including Mount Saint Helena in the distance.
The picturesque views served as the starting point for the new retreat, which consists of a main dwelling and a guesthouse/pool house.
Designed for a "forward-thinking family" that prioritises being in nature, the house replaces an older dwelling destroyed in 2017 by a fire likely caused by an old electrical system.
"Our clients were eager to start fresh and improve upon the shortcomings of the original structure," said Feldman Architecture, a San Francisco studio.
The team conceived a series of elongated, stacked bars that are positioned around outdoor spaces.
The exterior walls are a mix of light-toned fibre-cement panels and large expanses of glass. Green roofs help integrate the house into the natural landscape.
Inside there are bright rooms with earthy finishes and subdued colours. Vancouver-based Gaile Guevara Studio served as the interior designer.
The ground level encompasses the public areas, including an open kitchen and living room with sliding doors and custom casework with a white oak veneer.
Hanging in the communal space, a swarm-like lighting sculpture by Studio Drift adds "a sense of lighthearted movement" to the streamlined decor.
Upstairs are the private areas – a primary bedroom suite on one side and two additional bedrooms on the other. The central portion holds a den, flanked by terraces.
The house has a number of open-air living spaces, each with a slightly different function and relationship to the site. The outdoor spaces allow for hosting and entertaining, along with "calm moments of immersion in the surrounding landscape," the team said.
In the rear, the house opens toward a slender terrace and an infinity pool. The swimming pool was formerly located in a different part of the property.
"The original layout situated the pool significantly downslope of the house, resulting in a disconnect between indoor and outdoor living spaces," the team said.
"Due to the complexities of the steep site, our design team faced the challenging task of relocating the pool to improve its relationship with both the home and the pool house."
Situated between the main dwelling and guesthouse is a patio for dining and lounging. An overhead trellis allows for shade levels to be adjusted – an important feature given the region's hot summer days.
Adjacent to the shaded patio is a gravel area with an outdoor kitchen, complete with a wood-fired pizza oven. Just beyond is a garden with raised vegetable beds, "encouraging a true farm-to-table lifestyle".
"The new home sits surrounded by olive and fruit orchards, maximising all the sprawling site has to offer," the team said.
"The Phoenix is a modern home that intimately connects its occupants to the dramatic landscape."
Other California projects by Feldman Architecture include a renovated 1970s coastal home with wooden surfaces and brightly lit rooms, and a residence overlooking Silicon Valley that is designed to be a "space of serenity".
The photography is by Ema Peter.
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