Timber framed

Stanlake Park Wine Estate invites visitors to discover good wine and the good life GROHE is part of its recipe for success Located in Twyford in the county of Berkshire to the west of London, Stanlake Park has emerged as one of the country’s largest wine makers, with up to 100 tons of grapes being harvested each year from approximately 10,000 vines. Stanlake Park grows the greatest number of grape varieties in England and numerous awards have been bestowed on the red and white wines produced. Set in beautiful scenery amidst an extensive park, the estate dates back to the 12th century. The first timber framed house built on the site was replaced by the present manor in the 17th century. Apart from the breathtaking scenery, the wine estate... More

In association with Goring & Straja Architects Portola Valley’s old Town Center was located in a 1950’s school, built directly on top of the San Andreas Fault. The new Town Center occupies the same 11 acre site but relocates the buildings out of the fault zone in the northwest corner of the site. The Town Center is the heart of the civic, community and cultural life of the town, and is designed to expresses the character and values of Portola Valley. It also resolves the seismic, access, capacity and infrastructure issues of the old town center. Portola Valley was founded in 1964 to protect the western hills of this mid-peninsula community from development; so it followed that the primary development goals for the new center were to... More

The owners commissioned the architect to design and coordinate construction of an off-the-grid lakeside pavilion with integrated water reclamation and photovoltaic technology for weekend use. A lightweight steel structure was chosen for durability and ease of fabrication. This structure was shop fitted with tabs to allow for the attachment of a secondary skin. In developing this skin the desire for transparency coupled with a passive cooling approach led to a shop fabricated structural screen of 2x4 vertical cedar boards backed with insect screen. Structural blocking located between the vertical structure lends a delicate pattern to the structural skin camouflaging the structure within its densely wooded setting. Towards the water view the... More

Contemporary review of vernacular architecture typologies (granary and terrace, use of wood in structure and closing). Combination and reinterpretation of formal and constructive models of traditional architecture of northern Spain. Location which adapts to climate conditions and respects the wooded area. It minimizes the impact on the landscape, the construction detaches itself from the ground and it is only supported at four points. The original slope is maintained, the natural green cover of the ground passes below the house without any interference. Mixed structure of steel and wood that can be dismantled and recycled. Reversibility of architecture. The enclosure is solved by combining two types of wood (North Pine and Douglas Pine... More

The term “Ex” refers to a vital process developed by our client through an abandonment of downtown Madrid and its disadvantages leaving behind a world of urban routines. This displacement aims to achieve a feeling of retreat and isolation inherent to the rural setting of the Somosierra mountain range, where the house is located, but taking advantage of its close proximity to the city, with the property at just 1km. distance from the N-1 highway and one-hour drive from Madrid. A way of life in tune with nature but accessible from the city, appropriate for young dwellers. The house, camouflaged inside a dense forest, manages to face the views of the granite Somosierra and La Pinilla peaks to the south while looking at the same time to the re... More

Design a church according to the traditional Mennonite principles: a sustainable building, with the user in mind and a space for gathering and meeting. The first Mennonite churches were hidden and inconspicuous; simple places of congregation around the bible. The interiors were sober and as pure as possible. No distraction or ornaments in order to enhance concentration and togetherness. The new church on Mennorode refers to that time. The building has one large characteristic space where whitewood rafters set the tone. A widening in the middle of the building gives this barn-like church a contemporary look. A narrow entrance opens up into a wide gathering space with a glass facade. A knack in the roof and the wall models this transit... More

Conceived as a creative project space of possibilities for two artists, a writer and a photographer, the programmatic “wish list” for this 860 SF studio included both dedicated spaces as well as functionally flexible spaces that ranged from a photo darkroom, individual work places where projects could be left out to germinate but easily closed off from view to a place for daydreaming, for reading, for sleeping, for big holiday meals and countless other, as yet unimagined, group activities. The diagram of the building is simple - a narrow spine of largely enclosable spaces under a storage loft is set partially below the uphill grade to anchor a large, rectangular, light filled primary room. A retaining wall at the back and the entry en... More

computers and software have affected architecture and the physical landscape. First I was in raptures about the possibilities. Though this is still true there are other implications that are all the more worrying. The waste of space in today´s interiors and exteriors, the lack of respect for the natural landscape, the global use of non-renewable materials, and how all of this in various ways is linked to our digital tools. In “low impact no waste” I have tried to address this. The house is built by a local contractor and a local carpentry shop has milled all the building parts. Every part of the building was designed specifically for this project to avoid waste material. I have used different kinds of wood from sustainably forested woodlan... More

INTRODUCTION The Madrona Residence is the synthesis of site utilization, building technology, and client program. This synthesis results in a contemporary home respectful to its traditional setting while allowing the owners the space, light, and exterior spaces the property affords. SITE A substandard lot measuring 10.7 meters wide by 32 meters deep, the site is located mid-block along a wonderful residential street lined with a row of large, animated maple trees. From the sidewalk, the property slopes gently away to the east with an existing rockery defining the rear property line. Common to many of the houses on the street are the following: first there is a consistent setback from the sidewalk, second nearly all the homes encomp... More