![]() Materials for this home are a mixture of clay brick and limestone for the exterior walls. The development is in an area dotted with large homes amongst small orchards, small farms, and rolling woodlands. The style of the home not only fits the requirements of an owner with a desire for a very traditional mid-western estate house, but also its location amongst other rural estate lots. We nestled the home into the clearing between existing trees and along the edge of a natural slope which enhanced the design potential and functional options needed for the home. Great care was taken to locate the home on a small open space on the property overlooking the natural area and anticipated water feature. A skylight through the grass is the only hint at what lies below. An elevated exterior patio sits as an entertaining area above this room while the rear yard lawn conceals the remainder of its imposing size. The underground room for the pool was constructed of cast-in-place architectural grade concrete arches intended to become the decorative finish inside the room. This included developing an underground pool room where its only windows looked over the water while the room itself was depressed below grade, ensuring that it would not block the views from other areas of the home. We orientated all primary living areas to allow for sight lines to the water feature. The water feature, with its surrounding woodland and wetland areas, supports wild life species and was a significant part of the focus for our design. The home focuses on a nature area enhanced and expanded as part of this property development. The client was wanting a home reminiscent of those built by the auto barons of Detroit decades before. dual glazed low e high performance windows and doors natural day-lighting decreases need for interior lighting passive flow through ventilation provides natural night cooling, taking advantage of cooling summer breezes passive solar design that reduces heat gain in summer and allows for passive heating in winter all native and drought-tolerant landscaping reduce irrigation needs a 5 kW roof mounted grid-tied PV solar array pays for most of the electrical needs, and sends power to the grid in summer 6 year payback! The project’s energy saving features include: A glass “wall of wine” creates an elegant backdrop for the dining room table, the warm stained wood interior details make the home both comfortable and dramatic. ![]() Large expanses of glass punctuated with a natural rhythm of exposed beams and stone columns that frame the spectacular views of the Santa Clara Valley and the Los Gatos Hills.Ī shady outdoor loggia and cozy outdoor fire pit create the perfect environment for relaxed Saturday afternoon barbecues and glitzy evening dinner parties alike. Who says green and sustainable design has to look like it? Designed to emulate the owner’s favorite country club, this fine estate home blends in with the natural surroundings of it’s hillside perch, and is so intoxicatingly beautiful, one hardly notices its numerous energy saving and green features.ĭurable, natural and handsome materials such as stained cedar trim, natural stone veneer, and integral color plaster are combined with strong horizontal roof lines that emphasize the expansive nature of the site and capture the “bigness” of the view.
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