Trailridge Road Residence
The basic concept of the 3,500 square foot residence with three bedrooms & 2.5 baths is to be thought of as a modern rendition of a primitive cave with an expansive unobstructed view of its surroundings from a protected interior.
The structure is embedded within a steep slope site (100% or 1:1 grade change) not unlike a rock outcropping. Two massive board-formed concrete walls run the length of the residence and fold and morph into the roof structure; their form taken as a direct interpretation to moment-resisting diagrams for a 24′ cantilevered upper level. As a result, a column-free space at the primary living level with floor-to-ceiling glass sliding walls will allow the user to open the entirety of the facade for an unobstructed experience of the site’s natural beauty and drama. Given the dramatic geology of the site all spaces of the primary living are ‘terraced” defined by 24″ offsets. Space is defined not by walls but by height and level fluctuation. Large skylights reach back through adjacent ‘spaces’ to capture the direct southern exposure and to offer a partial passive solar gain. The landscape extends from the natural terrain and will blanket the entirety of the house visually nestling the structure into the site while a band of full-height glass will be continuous at the downhill ‘view’ side. The strategy further takes advantage of the natural passive properties of the earth as insulation from the temperature extremes. The house is the site rather than tangental to it.
While heavy earthen material properties will define the primary form and general interior of the cave, it will be contrasted with highly reflective finishes that will act as mirrors superimposing the ever changing light and color of the site within their surfaces. High gloss black lacquered millwork and a high polished radiant concrete slab with dark aggregate will be the palette. These complimentary material properties (light-dark, light-heavy, matte-gloss are used to further the experience of the sheltering cave concept while untreated bronze will be used for all exposed hardware and exterior doors and will be left to patina as a graceful physical reminder of the passage of time and use.
