Santa Ynez Residence

The foothills in Santa Ynez are arid and quiet, filled with farms and ranches. Our Santa Ynez residence, one story and close to the ground, echoes that landscape.
The ancient prototype of the courtyard house creates a protected gravel garden that complements the wide, natural vistas of the valley.
Reminiscent of old barns in the agricultural region, the corrugated steel exterior, oxidized and now richly red-brown, gives the home an earthy hue and further unifies it with its surroundings.
Large glass panel doors and wide, tall windows open up to mountain and valley views. We designed the home in the shape of a perfect square, made up of 25 smaller squares — one for each bedroom, the kitchen, living room, studio, etc. One of the two owners, an artist, makes square paintings, so the shape both personalizes the design and adds to its equilibrium.
We divided the home into three distinct but connected areas: for daily living, sleeping and working. All three open onto the central courtyard, which unifies and extends the space.
Benches sit beneath the courtyard terrace and a long sustainable lap pool extends outward, contrasting the dry terrain.
The design is intentionally adaptable, yet conscientious.
The ideal architecture respects and complements its context, connecting inhabitants with environment.