Montecito Residence in California by olson kundig

Article source: olson kundig 

The Montecito Residence is a single-family home set in fire-prone Toro Canyon near Santa Barbara. The owners wanted a house that minimized the use of scarce natural resources and that was equal to the challenging environmental conditions of the site. The design solution was to harvest and control the very climatic conditions that put the canyon so at risk for fire: the sun and the wind.

Image Courtesy © Nikolas Koenig

• Architects: olson kundig 
• Project: Montecito Residence
• Location: Montecito, California
• Photography: Elizabeth Conklin, Jean-Luc Laloux, Nikolas Koenig, Tim Bies

Image Courtesy © Nikolas Koenig

The house is made of simple, fire-resistant materials: concrete, steel, and glass. Exterior perforated metal screens on the west side of the house can be lowered to provide shade or additional fire protection. The steel of the siding and roof is allowed to oxidize, and the concrete is toned so that the house blends into the canyon landscape.

Image Courtesy © Nikolas Koenig

Upswept roof forms at the entrance and over the primary living spaces give the house its distinctive profile, while channeling rainwater for use on site. The roof functions as an umbrella to shield the house from the sun, while the one-hundred-foot-long central hallway allows naturally cool offshore breezes to circulate. The front door, a tall dutch door, lets fresh air in while maintaining privacy. A system of locks, gears, and chains allows the owner to determine how much the dutch door opens. The central hallway creates an axis dividing public from private spaces: the garage, road, and entrance lie to the east; the garden, pool, guest rooms, and other living spaces lie to the west. The hallway ends in a glass and steel box turned 180 degrees to maximize the spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean.

Image Courtesy © Nikolas Koenig

Image Courtesy © Nikolas Koenig

Image Courtesy © Nikolas Koenig

Image Courtesy © Nikolas Koenig

Image Courtesy © Nikolas Koenig

Image Courtesy © Nikolas Koenig

Image Courtesy © Tim Bies

Image Courtesy © Tim Bies

Image Courtesy © Tim Bies

Image Courtesy © Tim Bies

Image Courtesy © Tim Bies

Tags: California, Montecito

Categories: House, Residential

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