Le Shed

“Le Shed” is a petite retreat that overlooks a small community reservoir in the oak woodlands of western Nevada County. The house is designed as the first piece of the master plan for the property, that will eventually include a larger primary residence and the conversion of Le Shed into an ADU.

Oriented to maximize views of the water while maintaining privacy from the adjacent neighbors, the house has a recognizable agrarian form of a tall gabled roof barn with the geometric whimsy of De Stijl-inspired Dutch modernism (for our client that hails from the Netherlands). Materials are used with intentional asymmetrical balance and geometric patterning inside and out. On the interior, each wall has a unique graphic identity creating a rich landscape of color and pattern composed of custom-built cabinetry. The simple single volume of the building has a staccato of openings that punctuate the cladding. Corrugated metal, thermally modified wood, and Trespa façade panels offer a mixed palette of texture, color, material, and patterning that were meticulously puzzled together.

A compact floor plan of 636 square feet includes a mechanical room that acts as the hub for the property, a main living space with double height ceilings, that includes the kitchen, eating area, and coxy living space. A generous bedroom loft has an office nook and closet are upstairs and a bathroom with exterior access for functional rural living is on the first floor. A large liftslide door opens to a covered porch that faces the water and allows seamless indoor/outdoor living.

The building is all electric and has a small PV system paired with a backup battery. An unvented roof, European windows and exterior doors, attention to air sealing, and high efficiency equipment were used to create a high performance home that is currently operating at net-positive energy. The project exemplifies our firms focus on pairing high design with high performance building practices.