blodgett-calvin PART I

Located on the slope of a shallow oak-studded valley, this secluded one-acre was once part of a grand estate. In 1954, a house was built near the highest elevation of the site. The sense of place that it and the native landscape represented, led the Owners to decide to sensitively extend the house and to build a series of satellite pavilions to provide for their needs.

SAN MARINO CA
2009 – 2015
1.2 ACRE
Publication:
DWELL
DIE WELT
Photo:
FOTOWERKS
MARK MAHANEY
Award:
AIA CALIFORNIA COUNCIL RESIDENTIAL MERIT AWARD 2015
AIA LA RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECTURE AWARD 2016

Carefully and incrementally, we sited a collection of pavilions in the clearings of mature oaks, and for the vantage point of the main house. Each pavilion evolves its geometric alignment as they move across the site, from the cardinal order of the house to the shifting form of the land. 

from the living room overlook. green roof by Elysian Landscapes

In our desire minimize the buildings’ perceived footprints, the project is an exercise in blurring figure and ground; building and landscape.

interstitial landscape with Elysian Landscapes
heaving green planes mark the exit canopy from the ‘subterranean’ part of the pool house, and the guest house’s roofs beyond
pool house corner at stair landing leading to gym
pool house | gym (left) . guest house (right)

Roofs become ground planes, inside becomes outside; each structure supporting a relationship or a pursuit that matters deeply to the Owners.

guest house (left) . pool house | gym (right)
pool . pool house . sundeck . gym form a multi-level complex that is at once landform and structure; challenging the binary of building versus landscape