Merit Award

Sonoma Overlook

Sonoma, CA

Roche + Roche Landscape Architecture

Lead Landscape Architect: Dave Roche

Principal Landscape Designer: Nancy Roche

This compound of rural contemporary buildings with clean geometry and a palette of natural materials steps up and down the steep, wooded 17-acre site. Less than two miles north of Sonoma's historic square, it features views over the Sonoma Valley and beyond to San Francisco across the Bay.

The entire compound is off-grid, generating enough energy with hidden PV panels to power all on-site electrical needs, and charge the owner's electric vehicles.

Arbors of woven willow panels set in steel frames provide shade and define the outdoor living and dining rooms, flanking the swimming pool terrace.

A family of custom concrete elements was fabricated to the landscape architects design, including the outdoor kitchen counters, two water features, and the pool terrace fire pit.

At the top of the site, a gravel terrace with gas fire pit utilizing a dramatic existing volcanic rock as its backdrop, overlooks a bocce court with spectacular vineyard views, laid into a gap in the native rock outcroppings.