When venture capitalist Sam Long tapped San Francisco–based Feldman Architecture for the design of his new residence in California’s Sonoma Valley, the directions were clear: create a rural retreat that embraced the outdoors with the character of an open-air pavilion.

Key to that vision were the home’s six garage-style glass doors, custom-made by Renlita. The oversized, steel-framed glazed panels dramatically lift up for a seamless connection to the outdoors while offering sweeping views on both sides of the house.

Set on a 40-acre hilltop property logged in the 1800s, the steel-and-glass residence’s connection to the landscape isn’t limited to just views. Arterra Landscape Architects were brought on to thoughtfully restore the land to its natural state through woodland revitalization, non-native plant extraction, and the implementation of a rainwater collection system.

The careful material selection takes inspiration from the landscape and creates a clean and minimalist effect so as not to detract from the surroundings. The interior echoes those clean lines and materials with plaster walls, concrete floors, and timber cabinetry.

The L-shaped home comprises two perpendicular sections. The great room is housed in the taller of the two, which runs east along the ridge of the hill for optimal views. Four glass doors open on each side of the great room for stunning views.

“With these doors drawn up, the site offers one sweeping, continuous view from the pool, through the great room, and down into the distant village below,” write the architects.

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The home’s second wing extends to the north and flows from a two-car garage on its south end to a media room that connects to the pool, and finally the master bedroom.

Project Credits:

Architect of Record: Feldman Architecture

Builder/General Contractor: Jungsten Construction

Structural Engineer: Strandberg Engineering

Landscape Design: Arterra Landscape Architects

Lighting Design: Kim Cladas Lighting

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Four Enormous Glass Doors Turn This Northern California Home Into an Outdoor Pavilion