Location

Nicasio, CA

Date

1995

Description

This 3500sf lodge style home was the second created for the same client. The property was a large parcel that included extensive hillside redwood groves and a series of meadows that fronted on a river. The building was sited as far out into the meadow as was possible given the proximity of the river and the required setbacks. This location placed the home in sunlight and the main part of the meadow acts as a front yard. The site was covered with fallen redwood trees, so the client collected the downed logs and had them milled to provide the building’s exterior siding. Four logs were selected to become the hand-adzed columns on the porch and two additional logs were pieced together to form the curving beams for the eyelid dormer.

The buildings are divided into two primary forms, with the garage sharing roof and attic space with the client’s home office. The second and primary form provides a common separation of kids upstairs and adults on the main level with all of the shared community spaces. The kitchen is the hub of the plan as well as family life and the dining room with its long table looks out toward the river flowing nearby.

This project was undertaken while David was Senior Design Associate at Polsky Architects in Larkspur.