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To minimize the home's energy footprint, the floor and foundation are made from cast concrete. Large openings allow for natural ventilation, while surrounding trees help create a cool microclimate. The house is powered by geothermal energy.

The uninterrupted use of concrete throughout the interior creates a sense of fluidity between spaces.

Floor-to-ceiling shelves and storage bookend a cabinet that conceals the television.

The concrete hearth at the fireplace has angled sidewalls and a bevelled edge.

A custom walnut-and-steel coffee table from Jobe Fabrications anchors the living room. Fenton and Fenton armchairs are paired with a Texas Leather Interiors sofa. Drophouse Design crafted the fireplace copper wrap, and Thomas Studio and Foundry treated the metal to create a unique copper patina that matches the kitchen hood fan. Limestone is part of the exterior landscaping, but makes its way into the home as well to act as the base of the fireplace. Each piece is seven feet long, and puzzles together.

Interior designer Heidi Lachapelle chose unfussy furnishings with clean lines. “Nothing should feel decorative or unnecessary,” she says. “We looked for things that would age beautifully to speak to the wabi-sabi concept.” The oak daybed is by Bautier, the indoor/outdoor rug is by Dash & Albert, and the trapezoidal cushions on the concrete bench nod to similar ones that the wife saw at Georgia O’Keefe’s home and studio. The Scandinavian-inspired fireplace throws heat from two sides.

Preproduction model with optional features shown.

Fortunately, the damaged exterior and dismally dark 1970s interior didn’t scare away NMT Financial, who were captivated by the home wrapped around a massive oak tree embedded into the inner courtyard. Oakland-based See Arch was hired to restore the home’s modernist character while updating the dwelling to contemporary standards.

The dining and living room volume features an eclectic mix of furniture and opens up to an outdoor terrace that encourages engagement with the site and the trees. The circular artwork in this space is by Manny Farber.

Top 9 Dwellings of 2020: The homes nominated for this year’s Dwell Design Awards represent the best in creative, context-driven design.

The handmade tiles used to clad the wet areas are by Heath Ceramics. “It was definitely a splurge,” says architect Peter Tolkin. “I thought that there would be something very powerful about having these colorful, enclosed volumes. It’s almost like being inside of a ceramic vessel.”

The Japanese "no-brand" masters of minimalism unveil the first single-story design in their line of prefab homes.

One of the firm’s main goals for the project was to introduce better flow between the individual buildings, and to connect the exteriors with the interiors. "Our approach was to allow the parts—the buildings, the landscape, and the pool—to unfold and connect to the whole, both inside and out,

In the Bogarts’ living room, a brick fireplace inspired by Josef Albers commands attention and changes with the daylight. The artist made the bowl filled with yellow flowers in college.