For sustainability guru William A. McDonough, FAIA, buildings aren't vampires sucking up natural resources, but regenerative systems that should improve the environment. “The idea of 'getting to zero' for water or energy use is ridiculous. Is that the best we can do?” he says. This ethos, the guiding principle of his design career, is clearly embodied by the Meadow Farm House, completed in 2013 for a family whose values align closely with his own.
The building site, a secluded three-acre perch in northern California, sits close to but not directly overlooking the Pacific Ocean. “You sense the water's presence through the coastal breezes that sweep across the land here in waves,” says McDonough. The LEED Platinum project, a collaboration with interior designer Carla Carstens and landscape architect Bernard Trainor + Associates, evolved into an organic farm, with a 6,120-square-foot house and outbuildings nestled in a landscape of orchards, gardens, and native trees.
In form and materials, the house reflects and celebrates its rarefied location. Gently undulating portions of the zinc roof nod to the ocean and help to redirect and slow constant winds. Structural walls of rammed earth were made from site soils—“It's as though a chunk of the earth was lifted straight up from below,” says McDonough—while ventilated wood-framed walls, clad in reclaimed redwood, let the envelope breathe. Its horizontal low-slung massing and warm, spare interiors complement the dramatic yet serene surroundings.
“This house is in repose, almost supine on the landscape,” says McDonough. But the calm belies an essential productivity: solar and PV systems provide nearly all of the house's energy, and extensive gray- water recycling and rainwater harvesting fulfill its irrigation needs, a footprint that leaves no dent.
Completion Date: 2013
Gross square footage: 6,120 (main house)
Architect:
William McDonough + Partners
Charlottesville VA / San Francisco CA
contact: Kira Gould: 415 690 0182
People
Architect:
Personnel in architect's firm who should receive special credit: David Johnson, AIA Katherine Grove, AIA (no longer w/ firm) Mark Graham, registered architect (no longer w/ firm) Tim Gordon (no longer w/ firm)
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Interior finishes Area Rug ' Tai Ping Blue Mist Slipper Chairs ' Lakeside Sofa & Two Chairs ' Custom design by Carla Carstens Coffee/End Tables ' Custom design by Carla Carstens Dining Room Chairs and Banquettes - Christian Liagre Barstools ' Custom built by Roger Combs Table ' Custom design by Carla Carstens Light Fixture - Satori Kitchen Backsplash ' Heath Ceramics, M26 Meadow Green Breakfast All Furniture ' Custom design by Carla Carstens Master Bedroom Nightstands ' Berman Rosetti Lamps ' Hwang Bishop Bed ' Christian Liagre Art ' Gary Ruddell Area Rug ' Tai Ping Master Bathroom Counter ' Limestone, Fontainebleau Walls ' Heath Ceramics, M65 Vanilla Bean Floor ' Crossville Color Blocks, A1108 Sea Otter Library Area Rug ' Tai Ping Chairs ' Joseph Jeup Side Table ' Custom design by Carla Carstens Kid's Bathroom Counter ' Dupont Zodiac Quartz, Mossy Green Walls ' Heath Ceramics, M3 Parchment Barn Furniture ' MamaGreen Pendant Light ' Lightspan Sconce ' Studio Joseph Watts
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