Wildfires Leveled Their Northern California Home Twice. They Still Wanted to Build Again
A couple’s property held too many memories to let go of, so they started fresh with a Cor-Ten steel residence that sits on a surviving concrete foundation.
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Dick Vandlen and Mary Napier, who met working as biochemists at Genentech some 40 years ago, were looking for a property outside of San Francisco to occasionally escape city life when they found one up north in the historic Pine Flat community near Healdsburg. The 630-acre homestead had miles of trails, wild animals, and solitude, making it a near-immediate "yes" for the couple. Shortly thereafter they started a family and weekends were regularly spent on the property.
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Grace Bernard
Grace Bernard is a freelance writer and editorial strategist based in Los Angeles where she covers architecture, design, culture, and travel. Reach out: www.gracebernard.com
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