Merit Award
Living Living Room
Sonoma, CA
Project Landscape Architect: Bill Hynes
Principal In-Charge: Lawrence Reed
A modern residence in Sonoma functions as a living, living room, creating a retreat for a family and their growing children amongst a coastal oak grove. The owners selected the site for the trees and pond, desiring a rural retreat with a unique sense incorporating oak grassland, chaparral, riparian planting and agricultural references with the olive rows, over a minimal and clean hardscape design. A ground plane of native meadow grasses connects the buildings with a central rectangle that can be mown periodically for circulation transitions into a meadow and the pond. The design features two rows of field grown Swan Hill Olive trees oriented toward the main house and flanking the garage and auto court, with another along the pool/guest house for privacy. The design includes an edible garden with chicken coop, a pool with diving rock and a fire pit with stonework directed by the landscape architect.
