DESCENDANT HOUSE

Designed as a home for multiple generations, the Descendant House allows three family units and generations to co-exist harmoniously in a single structure. The house physically descends down the steep slope of the lot, while also carrying on the descended legacy of a family. Each user group has its own zone and a unique connection to the landscape, while areas for gathering are clustered at the core of the house. Taking center stage is the kitchen; a place that is most important to this family and the way they enjoy spending their time. The kitchen ties together the family's love of food with their love of gardening and beekeeping which occurs on the upper, back portion of the site. As visitors approach the house from the creek below, the assembly of ingredients and generations is on display through an articulated composition of volumes that express both the independence and interconnection of the family members in their daily rituals.

The program is delineated by three rectilinear material masses: respectively clad in masonry, wood/glass, and stucco. Each mass represents program uses specific to the various family identities within the household and their unique relationship to the site. The wood/glass mass, for grandparents and family gatherings, is located at the mid elevation of the site, focusing views below the tree canopies. The masonry mass, for guests and utilitarian functions, is further back on the site beyond the trees, acting as a threshold from private to public. In conjunction with the planted retaining walls, the masonry mass anchors the house to the site. The stucco mass is the dedicated parent and grandchild zone, floating within the tree canopy on one end, while the other end directly links to the upper terrace with the organic garden and beekeeping zone.

An interior core volume, clad in blue, acts as fulcrum to the wood and glass mass and the stucco mass. This centralized core allows for maximized glazing on the perimeter and contains back-of-house functions including the pantry, the powder room, the stair core, the A/V room, and the coat closet. This blue volume transitions from the first floor into the second floor, unifying the two realms, while also giving them their own integrity. Vertical white-washed cypress planes on the interior act as a warm backdrop for gatherings, and in addition to tailored views, daylight is calibrated to suit each space, function, and experience.