olson kundig's 'sawmill' is an off-grid canyon retreat in california

seattle-based design practice olson kundig has completed a family retreat in the harsh high desert of california. located in a remote area of tehachapi, a city in the mountains north of los angeles, the house is titled ‘sawmill’ — an industrial name that references the valley’s historic mining, ranching, and logging industries. ‘recognizing this past exploitation of the site, the homeowners wanted their house to give back to the land, rather than take from it,’ say the architects.

the family retreat is located in the harsh high desert of california
image by kevin scott / olson kundig | main image by gabe border

olson kundig, led by design principal tom kundig, carefully sited the house so as not to disturb the fragile landscape. the brief from the client called for a self-sufficient dwelling that maximized relationships between architecture and nature, as well as among family members. the result is a net-zero home that utilizes sustainable strategies and reclaimed materials, while operating completely off grid.

the design references the valley’s historic mining, ranching, and logging industries
image by kevin scott / olson kundig

‘sawmill’ comprises three wings with the centrally positioned living area articulated around a central hearth. here, a 12×26-foot (3.7×7.9m) window wall retracts with the turn of a wheel, embracing the outdoor patio as the house’s fourth wing. ‘the design approach was driven by a scavenger mentality, seeking always to do more with less, including using salvaged and recycled materials whenever possible,’ explains olson kundig.

salvaged and recycled materials have been used whenever possible
image by gabe border