Overlooking the vineyards of California’s Sonoma landscape, the Frame House by Mork-Ulnes Architects is defined by a strong concrete structural framework.
Forming a loggia that runs along three sides of the home’s exterior, the concrete frame maximizes indoor to outdoor connections and provides shade while also providing natural light and expansive deck views. The house has an extroverted relationship to the surrounding landscape, connecting the interior in almost every room to the California climate.
While materials were selected for their natural and organic look and feel, the main driver in terms of material selection was the threat of wildfire and the need for wildfire prevention. As such, the new home is made of concrete shear walls finished with a sacrificial layer of greying wood siding between columns.
Inside the home, living spaces are clad mainly with Douglas fir. Spaces are organized around a double-height volume over the kitchen that connects the two levels and is punctuated by a floating catwalk leading to the two-bedroom wings upstairs.
The 18-acre property includes an all-concrete guesthouse also designed by Mork-Ulnes Architects and with an interior by Charles de Lisle. The garden, vegetable beds, and pool were designed by Surface Design.
