A Small Modern Home Overlooks Olive Trees in Sonoma by Cooper Joseph Studio

Cooper Joseph Studio, formerly Wendy Joseph Evans Architecture, has designed this small 850 square guest house in the Dry Creek area of Sonoma. Located on a terraced hill, the modern structure overlooks a field of olive trees and is nestled amongst lavender and rosemary. The home was designed for two scientists who grow olives and make olive oil, keep bees and produce honey, garden and many other endeavors that take advantage of the area’s climate, soils and site.















Situated at the top of an olive orchard, the exposure faces north, taking advantage of the breezes, and shade from existing forests to the south. Exploiting an existing open area with particularly hard clay soils, no trees were removed. The goal was to create an energy efficient, compact dwelling where the clients could sit in shaded areas, entertain friends with their own food production, and enjoy the wonderful views across agricultural lands. The 30-foot-high concrete wall dividing the house was a technical achievement, according to the architects. The home also has a solar array for power and a high albedo [surface reflection] roof.













The interior:















Site plans and architectural drawings:











Small House, 2011

Sonoma, CA





Client: Charles Homcy / Diana Sylvestre



Architect: Cooper Joseph Studio, New York



Design Principal: Wendy Evans Joseph, Chris Cooper



Project Architects: Wendy Evans Joseph and Chris Cooper



Project Manager: Chris Good



Project Team: Chris Good and Farzana Gandhi



Architect of Record: Richardson Architects



Structural Engineer: Tysinger & Associates Structural Engineers



Landscape Architect: Jacobsen Landscaping



Interior Designer: Cooper Joseph Studio



Contractor: Red Horse Construction



Construction Manager: David Warner



Zinc Siding: VM Zinc



Composite Decking: Timber Deck



Resin: 3-Form



Counter Tops: Caeserstone



Oak Millwork: Custom-stained Oak



Site Area: 25 Acres



Building Area: 850 sq. ft. enclosed



For more information regarding the building process and materials, see this post at The Contemporist.



Additional photos courtesy of Elliott Kaufman Photography, additional information courtesy of California Architects



Cooper Joseph Studio

Glass Beach of California

Glass Beach is a beach in MacKerricher State Park near Fort Bragg, California that is abundant in sea glass created from years of dumping garbage into an area of coastline near the northern part of the town.

In the early 20th century, Fort Bragg residents threw their household garbage over the cliffs above what is now Glass Beach. They discarded glass, appliances, and even cars. The land was owned at that time by the Union Lumber Company, and locals referred to it as "The Dumps." Sometimes fires were lit to reduce the size of the trash pile.



In 1967, the North Coast Water Quality Board and city leaders closed the area. Various cleanup programs were undertaken through the years to correct the damage. Over the next several decades the pounding waves cleansed the beach, wearing down the discarded glass into the small, smooth, colored trinkets that cover the beach today.



In 2002, the California State Park system purchased the 38-acre (150,000 m2) Glass Beach property, and after cleanup it was incorporated into MacKerricher State Park. (Wikipedia)