Credits
From ORR Design Office, Inc.
We started with a tattered 1950’s Mid-Century Modern house with a classic amoeba shaped pool and a site that suffered from multiple badly designed renovations. But the prize was the location and a stunning view- perched on a steep hilltop mountain with a direct view of Mount Diablo.
The challenge- HOW TO DESIGN A LANDSCAPE SPACE THAT RESPONDS TO THE DIABLO VIEW BUT IS INTIMATE AND HOLDS SECRETS?
The house encloses around an outdoor area that was, when we found it- worthless. It was hot, over-exposed, unfocused and had no intimacy or relationship with either the house or view or the native foothill oak chaparral landscape or massive valley oak that loomed over the house. It was extremely disappointing. Our clients craved a transformation of the space and wanted to live in it- cook, entertain, swim, play, discover and watch the city lights at night.
While the client said that the pool could be removed and replaced with an infinity-edge type of pool, we knew otherwise- it was a mid-century classic but tired. So that’s where we started. We reinforced the Diablo living room axis by creating “deck-walkways” that extended into the pool several inches. However, the “missing middle” over the pool is “mentally added” by the viewer completing the force axis. Another cross site view was created with a view through an olive tree canopied regulation-sized Petanque court that was also a dining area. From the house’s kitchen sink, the view of Diablo is framed by the olive trees. From the BBQ area -which feels like cooking on an airplane wing, there is a reverse view back toward the bedroom end of the house through the same olive tree framed view to a massive oak tree- “sculpture”. A linear cast-in-place concrete planter bisects the yard space from the pool space and thrusts a view toward Diablo. Hidden between the olive trees is a cast concrete linear firepit that is not visible from most of the interior or exterior views. Designed for evenings with a cup of coffee or glass of wine- to pull chairs up and watch the stars or feel the edge of the hill.
Below the pool on the hillside, a deck with a spa in the center allows intimate use out of the views from the home or other spaces. This deck was important because we wanted the hill’s precarious slope to be experienced and to feel it extend right up to the edge of the master bedroom. The hill edge of the pool was carved away to create an “infinity landscape” view behind the pool. The old white plaster classic pool finish was replastered grey and edged with black tiles transforming it into a modern pond.
The landscape plantings are seasonal and almost native in character- gray, untended, simple and matte in texture. Yet, they are organized and composed. They feel of the hillside. On the technical side, we designed dramatic night lighting, complex drainage, in-ground speakers and an adaptive Netafim moisture sensing irrigation system.