Description

Wishing to relocate his family away from the increasing social and cultural pressures of Southern Marin, this client chose to move his law practice and home back to the small town of Durham in California’s northern central valley. Siting the project in an established almond ranch, the property is oriented on the diagonal with regard to the orchard grid. Conceived as 3 simple barns clustered around a central tower element, and accented with stark modernist detailing, this home claimed a unique space in a local community of traditional cottages and spec houses.

The 4-story tower contains a unique stair that connects a wine cellar basement through a two-story entry to a bird’s eye office with panoramic views of the surrounding orchards and nearby Black Butte Mesas. The Kitchen/Dining/Family barn, the Bedroom Barn and the Garage/Utility Barn each radiate from the central tower and claim separate courtyards between their separate arms. One courtyard includes the entry, one includes the pool and one includes the organic garden.

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