The owners’ desires for their new home were straightforward – they wanted a modest, functional home, built into the landscape that would maximize views and be made from sustainable and firesafe materials. The owners’ desires for their new home were straightforward - they wanted a modest, functional home, built into the landscape that would maximize views and be made from sustainable and firesafe materials. Four bedrooms with linked public spaces inside the home connect the family of three young children and two adults to generous, varied outdoor areas that flow easily indoors to accommodate their rich outdoor life.
The 2,200 SF low lying single-story home steps lightly down the site from north to south, following the natural grade of the land to minimize grading and honor the spirit of neighboring Ojai ranch houses. As the floor of the ground hugging house follows the natural topography, the roofline and top of concrete stem walls remain level and consistent in elevation. This continuous datum line, established by the concrete stem walls, expresses the changing floor levels as a clear visual and dimensional marker of the site’s slope.
The 2,200 SF low lying single-story home steps lightly down the site from north to south, following the natural grade of the land to minimize grading and honor the spirit of neighboring Ojai ranch houses. As the floor of the ground hugging house follows the natural topography, the roofline and top of concrete stem walls remain level and consistent in elevation. This continuous datum line, established by the concrete stem walls, expresses the changing floor levels as a clear visual and dimensional marker of the site’s slope.