It has been said about this Northern Californian house that it has the merit of a well-made violin. Convenient in design and adapted to modern techniques of living, this house is nonetheless romantic and poetic in intent. In a landscape which is just beginning to develop an architecture of its own flavor, it is a translation of the spirit of the place into forms which are completely livable.
The house is built on a hilltop overlooking farmlands, forested hills, a distant city, an ocean bay. On the crest of the hill just above it, there is a small garden of native flowers and shrubs, sheltered by an encircling redwood grove. The outside of the house is redwood which has weathered to a silvery gray. There's little lost motion in the house and few decorative devices. Its beauty lies in its sheer proportions which coincidentally seem to be determined by the requirements of the design and the logics of the plan. Here is a house that seems part of the majestic countryside, yet is fluid enough in line to stand on its own merits.
The house was planned for year-round occupancy without servants. Halls are virtually eliminated-passages. being incorporated into the usable living area. The plan is open except where segregation and privacy are desired for the kitchen, the bedrooms and the library. The into-eachother dining room, living room and gallery are plotted along a diagonal axis connecting the garden and ocean views. This lengthening and fusion provide a spaciousness and sweep of interior vistas which optically doubles the size of the rooms and makes the whole house seem larger. Even though there is a great deal of space given to broad planes of windows, there are still many unbroken wall expanses. With the exception of the foundation and chimney, the house is constructed entirely of wood. It was built for the most part by unskilled labor. The flush doors are the only millwork in the house. A conjunction of extensive natural wood surfaces and painted surfaces changes the color scheme subtly and offers a charming variety with no hint of flatness or sameness. Doors, window frames, closet fronts are done in a variety of colors both in sequence and in contrast with adjacent woods.
Except in the baths and the kitchen, the ventilation is separate from the windows. The glass is fixed and the ventilation comes through louvred openings. Doors also add extra airiness. The elimination of large movable glass areas simplifies construction and insulation, reduces main- tenance and makes watertight windows possible in this stormy coastal area. Whatever else the house may be, it is fundamentally a pavilion for the enjoyment of the view, respectful of the landscape which contains it.
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source: House and Garden Magazine | July 1945
1 Comments
Wow where is this?
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