Cherry Valley

Characterized by an intricate coastline and a burgeoning wine-making industry, the landscape and sense of place can be distilled into fields and shorelines.

This seam became a focal point for one's experience of the site—a natural perch just below the tree canopy, sheltered from the wind at your back by the ridge, and with a view to the water framed by the underside of the tree canopy. This is where the house was intended to be sited.

Large windows on the waterside frame views of the shore, while panoramic windows at ground level facing the meadow offer a vantage point to the 'field.'

Larger dormers bring additional light from above, sometimes conventionally through the vertical surface, and at other times through horizontal analogs reminiscent of light beaming through the tree canopy.

While the spatial sequencing and siting concept are quite contemporary, the form and materiality of the project draw inspiration from more agrarian architecture in the area.

Brick is used on the solid wall that holds back the hillside into which the house is nestled, while a cedar roof wraps down the facade facing the water, engaging in a dialogue with the trees that frame the lake views.

The interior is entirely clad in Douglas fir boards, with brick cladding walls that engage in a dialogue with the exterior tectonics.