Miner Road in Orinda, California. Design: Faulkner Architects. Photo: Joe Fletcher.

A few weeks ago, Archinect had the chance to connect with Greg Faulkner, founder of boutique Northern California-based practice Faulkner Architects, to chat about his process, business approach, and design philosophy as part of our Studio Snapshot series.

Today, we are taking a closer look at one project from the firm's compact yet exquisite portfolio that impresses with an impeccable sense for site selection, material choices, and space-crafting: Miner Road.

Approaching the residence in the wooded hills of Orinda, California, it is hard to imagine that the rugged, steel-clad exterior encapsulates an interior that is spacious, light-filled, and sensibly aware of its surrounding environment.

The commitment to practiced sustainability — and the concrete goal of net-zero energy performance annually — informed the entire design process and stood as the initial request by the clients, a couple of environmental scientists who, along with their two sons, relocated from the Oakland Hills to the summer climate of Orinda.

"A three-bedroom program began as a remodel of a 1954 ranch house at the foot of a hill next to a seasonal creek," explains the project description from the architects. "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."

"Entry to the 3,725-square-foot house is from the north, where a steel plate covered walkway leads to the front door. Inside, one finds light-filled with 20-foot ceilings and floor-to-ceiling, high-performance glazing builds continuity with the landscape. A 12-foot-wide (3.6-meter) retractable glass wall opens onto a patio and adjoining garden. 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 detailed, unfinished oak ceilings and walls. The smell of the oak and feel of it under foot builds a multisensory connection to the immediate landscape outside."

"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 present in the lives of the family."

"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."

Faulkner Architects Design Team
Greg Faulkner, Christian Carpenter, Jenna Shropshire, Owen Wright, Darrell Linscott, Richard Szitar, Pete Austin, Ben Lueck, Glenn Lutz

Project Team
Architect: Faulkner Architects
Interior Design: Faulkner Architects with DZINE Concept
Civil Engineering: Lea & Braze Engineering
Structural Engineering: CFBR Structural Group
Mechanical, Plumbing and Electrical Engineering: Davis Energy Group
Landscape Architect: Thuilot Associates
Acoustics: Bob Hodas Acoustic Analysis
3D Model: Garrett Faulkner
Contractor: Ethan Allen Construction