Santa Rosa House

Modern eco-friendly house on a grassy hill with large windows and a minimalist design, surrounded by trees under a clear sky.
Modern interior with large windows, neutral-toned walls, a beige sofa, patterned rug, and a view of nature outside.

High Performance,
Super Energy Efficient

TYPE: New Construction, High Performance

SIZE: 1800 sf + 2 car garage + wine cellar

LOCATION: Sonoma County, California

DATE: 2014

DESIGN: Mela Breen | Atmosphere Design Build

CONTRACTOR: Atmosphere Design Build

STRUCTURAL ENGINEER: Mark Jokerst, SE

MECHANICAL: Balance Point Home Performance

Photography: Kat Alves

Modern living room with large windows and scenic view, featuring a leather couch, fireplace, wooden chair, floral arrangement on a chest, and a colorful rug.
Grassy hilltop with trees and a small building under a blue sky

Integration, longevity, strength, sustainability – were our client’s goals for the home. Located on a steep site with dramatic views, the house design takes cues from the surrounding topography. It is set into the slope of the ridge, the building “steps down” becoming part of the hill side.  

Modern hillside house with garage, surrounded by trees and landscape at sunset.
Modern patio with a pergola, stone paving, and a view of trees and grass in the background.

The shed-roofed volumes are oriented to mimic the slope of the ridge and designed to provide solar shading. The main living space opens to spectacular landscape to the south and west – sweeping views of golden rolling hills, city lights, and is a perch to watch coast weather movement. On the north side, the building is carefully shaped, turning to meet the edge line of a mature forest, creating an intimate, protected, courtyard.

Construction site with partially built yellow wall, surrounded by reinforcing bars and construction equipment, set against a hilly landscape and clear sky.

A “PISE” wall (shot earth and concrete mixture which has a rich earthy texture and hue) runs the length of the house – a continuation of the ridge spine.

Minimalist rustic room with a sliding wooden barn door on a textured wall, flowers in a metal vase on a metal chest, and large windows.
Cracked beige surface texture with fine lines

Materiality and assembly where chosen to provide durability and protection on a site that gets significant coastal weather, that is remote, has the potential for seismic activity, and is at risk from wild fire. The artisan plaster exterior cladding, Pise wall, along with the rusty red of the roof provide a muted but textured color palette that blends in with the landscape.

Modern living room with large windows, a landscape view, a leather sofa, wooden chair, and rustic decorations. A colorful rug, fireplace, and decorative vases add to the cozy ambiance.
Two people standing on a grassy hill overlooking a forest with mountains in the background, under a bright, cloudy sky.

High Performance Highlights

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Assembly

The house is constructed with ICF (insulated concrete forms) and Pise walls, for a high mass, fire resistant assembly. Since it’s completion in 2014 it has survived 2 significant wildfires (including the Passive heating and cooling strategies, thermal mass, a high-performance building envelope with triple pane European windows, air-sealing, and thermal bridge free details, make this house an energy efficient, comfortable, home.

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Climate Control

A single ductless mini split system is used for thermostat-controlled heating and cooling, with a backup wood fireplace for ambiance and to burn wood from the property provided. A mechanical ventilation system supplies fresh air and balanced ventilation. Proper building orientation that optimizes the coast breeze and the high mass construction allow for passive heating and cooling most of the year in the temperate client.

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Energy

The garage was initially wired for PV solar panels and for plug-in electric vehicles. The owner transitioned to an off-grid electrical system after the 2020 Glass Fire burned the private powerline that brought electricity to the site. A rainwater catchment and storage system provides extra irrigation water.