feldman architecture's 'sunrise' house overlooks sonoma county, california

feldman architecture conceives its ‘sunrise’ house as a garden pavilion complimenting an existing contemporary guest house. sited in california’s sonoma county, the project seeks to respond to the rugged, remote, and beautiful natural context. the clients, a newly retired couple, had for years used the property and guest house as a weekend retreat. both husband and wife have a strong appetency for cultivating the land. she is an avid gardener, passionate about sustaining and growing her own production garden while he enjoys maintaining the property and discovering the relaxing qualities of the healdsburg hills. at its core, the design is driven by the desire for a space to enjoy both the surrounding landscape vistas and the charms of honest living.

images by adam rouse

with ‘sunrise,’ feldman architecture preserves the elegant quality of the desired ‘glass house’ typology. the dwelling’s exposed structure is expressed on the exterior with round steel columns stretching upwards across two stories to support the sunshade and thin corrugated metal roof, balancing modern lines with delicate panes of glass. two monolithic concrete forms at the east and west facades provide both structure and storage while visually anchoring the building to the site. the seamless transition between interior and exterior living was a primary objective, due to the client’s propensity for horticulture. glass walls on three sides of the home allow for a strong physical and visual connection to the landscape; including the adjacent gardens and orchards and the distant mountains.

feldman architecture finished the interior of ‘sunrise’ with a paired down material palette consisting of bleached douglas fir, white carrara marble, and concrete floors. minimalists by nature, the clients sought simplicity without starkness. therefore accents of bronze, blackened steel, and claro walnut bring richness to the interior furnishings, balancing the austere nature of concrete and steel. with a quiet simplicity of form and a refined material palette, this home compliments the existing structures and sits in harmony with the powerful hillside landscape.