Packed Naturally
Mies van der Rohe once said, "We must remember that everything depends on how we use a material." In this Palo Alto, CA, residence constructed from rammed earth, steel, and glass, and finished in white oak, ipe, and American walnut, architect Cass Calder Smith of CCS Architecture holds true to Mies' dictum. Thanks to the liberal use of natural materials, the house attains a comfortable sensibility noticed by nearly everyone who passes through its earthen walls. "Guests are, without exception, completely taken by how the house is very modern, but also very warm," say the owners, who wish to remain anonymous.
The residence consists of two main masses: a rammed earth base made from soil excavated from the site and a long ipe-clad wooden box that cantilevers over the ground floor. Bifurcating the forms is a slim glass band that wraps around the building, making it seem like the upper story hovers independently of its base. In addition to an almost reverential treatment of materials, the residence is imbued with a strong green ethic evidenced by the passive cooling features, a drought-tolerant "meadow" landscape, PV array, and radiant floor heating. Smith says this was the most complicated house he'd designed, but maintains that nothing was dogmatic. "It's not about being 'green' or 'cool' or making a monument; it's about the fundamentals of architecture," he says.
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Reloading tweets…
What a pleasant surprise! I saw this house go up, a few blocks away from our home... It is quite a nice modern statement made with great quality and attention to detail. It's wonderful to be able to now see the interior photos and read more about the design and the family. Congratulations to the family, the architects and specially the contractor, wonderful results.
Masterpiece
Beautifully crafted details, but a bit arid: No ART! No shoes!
According to the architect's website the house is 5,800 square feet for a family of 5, with what appears to be an incredible amount of floor space devoted to circulation. While the house is well crafted, it is by no means modest and is over the top excessive for a family that size, clearly a representation of the life style of its owners (they work in technology in silicon valley). Regarding the architect's statement...[its about the fundamentals of architecture]...I would question the social and ethical responsibility of a home this size, in this day and age.
The design really highlights the beauty of the materials. I am impressed with the clean transitions from differing ones. I think it is great that the contractor gets praise for contributing to the success of the design.
This is a gorgeous house; I love the use of earthy materials and the wonderful play of hidden and peculiar spaces. Additionally, I am glad to see the use of rammed earth, I have yet to see this technique in a successful application and this seems to do it beautifully. Well done!
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