Project Description
This project was selected as a Merit winner in the 2024 Residential Architect Design Awards, Custom Home / 3,000 Square Feet or Less category.
“It's very restrained, especially from the approach in a way that's really intriguing.”—Juror Ashley Heeren
Taking inspiration from the volcanic rocks strewn across the Sonoma Valley landscape, this 816-square-foot house recalls such a geological form with its dark cementitious stucco, black standing seam metal, and Shou Sugi Ban blackened cedar. But this material palette wasn’t solely an aesthetic or symbolic choice—it was also selected for inherent fire resistance given the region’s history. Another nod to lava-formed rocks, the architecture aims to evoke a porous, light, and airy feel with its pitched slab roof appearing to float above the house thanks to large overhangs combined with discrete, cleverly situated pole supports and expansive glass walls on three sides of the home.
Serving as a weekend house for a couple and their twin children, the property—despite its small footprint—manages to provide both the bare necessities and family-time amenities such as a swimming pool and covered dining terrace. Full-height glass bifold walls open completely to the elements and right onto the aforementioned amenities to create a seamless connection between interior and exterior, making this a true outdoor living experience.
PROJECT CREDITS:
Project Name: Leit House
Architect: S^A | Schwartz and Architecture
Location: Sonoma, CA
Photo Credit: Douglas Sterling