A home must feel like a natural extension of the landscape around it and often this means coming up with innovative new ways in which one can incorporate nature into contemporary settings. While architects from METODO spent plenty of time shaping the perfect wooden deck along with Jacuzzi and outdoor sitting area at this contemporary home in Valle de Bravo, Mexico, it is still that bedroom that ends up becoming the showstopper here! Dubbed the La Peña Extension, it is the huge piece of natural rock that acts as the headboard wall that grabs your attention even as floor-to-ceiling glass walls bring the outdoors inside with ease.

Large natural rock becomes the headboard wall for this contemporary bedroom

Then you move outside and you have the mesmerizing dark wooden deck that has a Jacuzzi and fireplace next to it. The deck acts as a fabulous gathering space for friends and family and can also be the setting for a romantic evening with the one you love! Present in the distance is the lake that enhances the views on offer while the materials used in shaping the house add to the rugged, natural appeal of the entire space. One finds a perfect blend of nature and modernity here with each having a space of its own.

Outdoor sitting area and fireplace along with Jacuzzi that offers Lake views
Outdoor sitting area, Jacuzzi and dining space of the Mexican house
Perfect outdoor recreational area with Jacuzzi that offers lake views
Stone and wood shape a stunning bedroom with lake views
Stone walls coupled with large natural rock give the interior a unique appeal
Wooden deck outside the house becomes one with the landscape
Fire pit and Jacuzzi with a view of the distant lake

To properly contextualize a new work is of utmost importance, especially in interventions of existing projects, in cases of renovations and/or extensions. In a certain way, the natural context in which they are situated is already influenced, as an intrinsic part of the environment.

Gorgeous lake views add to the appeal of the outdoor area
Metallic beams and glass windows bring a modern appeal to the house
Modern finishes are coupled with natural stone to create a unique home in Mexico
Outdoor dining zone along with barbecue space at the La Pena Extension

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miner-road

Miner Road

The clients are a couple of environmental scientists who, along with their two sons, relocated from the Oakland Hills to the warmer climate of Orinda. Their commitment to sustainability, including a request for net-zero energy performance annually, was evident in their thinking throughout the design process. A three-bedroom program began as a remodel of a 1954 ranch house at the foot of a hill next to a seasonal creek.  After finding the existing structure and soils to be unsuitable, the direction settled on reusing the existing footprint under the shade of a Valley Oak that had grown up close to the original house. The surviving portion of the original house is the fireplace which was wrapped in concrete and utilized for structural support. This made additional grading unnecessary and allowed the new house to maintain the same intimate relation to the old oak.  The family desired an open living layout that connected directly to the landscape. A mezzanine plan evolved with a double height family space nested with a master bedroom and study stacked above the kitchen and nook. A screened pacing deck for long phone calls shades the upper level from afternoon summer sun. Downstairs, secondary bedrooms along an extendable hallway, wrap an outdoor dining area situated between the kitchen and family room.  Construction materials and methods were considered in balance between first and lifecycle costs. The Corten steel rain screen for the exterior skin and interior wood were chosen to take advantage of zero annual maintenance cost and a shotcrete foundation allowed formwork to be repurposed for wood framing.  Single use material selections such as the Corten steel and shotcrete foundation reduced complexity in detailing and labor costs allowing a larger portion of the budget to be reallocated for upgraded mechanical, insulation, and glazing systems. The same attitude for interior finishes produced acoustically insulated, unfinished oak ceilings and walls. The sum total of the limited and landscape-driven materials presents a relaxed and quiet built environment that allows the senses to focus on the natural environment. A haptic connection to the rhythms of our planet is evident.  A 14-gauge Corten rain screen provides a no-maintenance skin. High levels of insulation and glazing efficiency reduce heating and cooling loads. An 8.1kW photovoltaic system provides on-site renewable energy and produced more electrical energy than the house used the first year. Rainwater is collected via a waterfall from the roof at the end of the hallway. Buried tanks store water for use in toilets and laundry. Greywater is collected separately and reused for irrigation. Electronically commutated motors and variable speed heat pumps are used to further limit energy use and control heating and cooling. An energy recovery ventilator is used to provide fresh air.