NAPA, CA
new contemporary home with detached adu
RESIDENTIAL
ARCHITECTURE
We were asked to design a new home with a detached ADU on a two-acre undeveloped property in Napa County, which borders the eastern stretch of American Canyon Road. The property was used by our client to stable and exercise both his own horses and those horses he bordered on the property.
Located on top of a rugged ancient basaltic lava flow, the property overlooks the picturesque views of the surrounding open hillsides to the north and south, and the distant views of Suisun Bay to the west. Due to the rocky terrain found somewhat steep incline of the existing site's topography, part of the challenge was to position the new home in a manner to maximize important views so they could be enjoyed by various rooms on both levels, also to have enough level outdoor areas for entertaining that was accessible from each level of the new home. Our client also needed garage space for three vehicles and also a large shop in which he could service them. In addition, he wanted a detached Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) for his family and a stable for his horses and riding ring to exercise them along with plenty of space for vehicle parking, and especially for space for two large horse trailers.
In addition to the above essential design programing requirements, we also needed enough remaining space on the property to provide a driveway to access the new home and space for a turnaround for a large fire truck and septic system. with all new structures and features located on the site so that they would not be closer than hundred feet from the existing domestic water well.
To address all of these requirements we came up with the following design for our client’s project. In planning the site, we started with designing the new home. In elongating both floor levels and setting its main axis in a north to south direction, we could take advantage of surrounding picturesque hillside views. In doing so this created a long and narrow building, which could be somewhat massive if we did not place the lower level below the grade of the upper crest of the hill. Also, instead of adding width to the building's footprint for the required garage and shop space we utilized the space below the great room to provide two standard parking stalls and one tandem parking space along with space for our client's shop.
To provide level outdoor areas accessible from each floor to entertain and enjoy the surrounding views, we added outside deck features off main level and to provide the flat outside recreational areas on the lower level, with the construction of the new concrete block retaining walls required to place the lower portion of the building below grade, we were able to alter the existing topography of the site, in a manner that created new level areas also construct a new driveway and parking area for visitors and vehicle parking for the new detached ADU , also create the level building pad areas for the new detached horse stable and riding ring.
Because this property had incredible views of the surrounding vistas, we felt the architectural style of the home needed to be Contemporary, and have an abundance of floor- to-ceiling glass to add greater transparency to the exterior of the new home. We also thought by capping the building with a low sloped Butterfly roof form this would add greater visual interest and expression to the new home's architecture.