New Modern Custom Home and Guest House: Nicasio California
We were asked to design a new modern house with a guest house for a client currently living in Silicon Valley. The new home and guest house will be built on a 20-acre lot in Marin County off Lucas Valley Road. Initially, the 3,600 square foot house will be a weekend retreat but eventually will become their full-time residence.
Care was taken in the design of the new home not to dominate the natural setting. The house is accessed by a 1000 foot long private driveway. The new home orients on the site to open up to the varying views with large windows. The main great room with living, kitchen, and dining has a tall ceiling and a spacious feeling. The bedrooms are on another level of the house to provide privacy. There are many opportunities to step outside on to decks to connect with the outdoors. The roof of the house will have an array of solar collectors and a green roof over the bedroom roof area.
The 640 square foot guest house will be accessible in a wheelchair for a disabled relative. The main living areas of the house are to be also be wheelchair accessible. The house is oriented to capture the two best views of the lot: a view of the hillsides beyond and a view overlooking a meadow. The house design and orientation on the site also optimizes access to natural light throughout the house.
The lot is a very wooded area with moderately sloping land. The buildable area of the lot was predetermined by the county and is in the center of the lot. No other houses will be able to see our new home and we will not be able to see any other homes from our house as well.
We have submitted and passed the design review entitlement process and we are currently in the middle of the building permit plan checking process. Construction will begin shortly.
CREDITS
Architecture and Interior Design:
Kaplan Architects
San Francisco, California
General Contractor:
D. V. Rasmussen & Son, Inc.
Novato, CA 94945
Structural Engineer:
SEMCO Engineers
San Francisco, CA 94103
Landscape Architect:
Imprints Landscape Architecture
Muir Beach, CA
Civil Engineeer:
CSW/Stuber-Stroeh Engineering Group, Inc.
Novato, CA 94949