Article source: DARX Studio

This project is located within the gated equestrian community of Bell Canyon, in eastern Ventura County California. The house is nestled midway up a steep hillside with views capturing the rolling hills and mature trees of Bell Canyon below. The topography of the lot had a steep heel and toe, while the middle portion of the lot was more moderately sloped, creating a natural place to locate a building pad.

The main consideration of the design was how the structure would respond to the terrain and capture the canyon views of the Simi Hills. The building elongates itself parallel to the view, thus creating panoramic views into Bell Canyon toward the east, while hiding itself from the two neighboring buildings on either side. By siting the mass of the building along the eastern edge of the slope, it opened up a large garden backyard between the building and the descending slope. Site lines from the interior social spaces extend from the backyard garden to the view of the canyon below.

Image Courtesy © Oren Dothan & Ryan Childers

• Architects: DARX Studio
• Project: Ventura Hillside Home
• Location: Bell Canyon, California
• Photography: Oren Dothan & Ryan Childers
  
• Image retoucher: Michela Secchi
  
• General Contractor: Bruder Construction
  
• Lead Architects: Oren Dothan and Ryan Childers
  
• Gross Built Area: 6,285 SF
  
• Completion Year: 2020

(more…)