Tobin Smith— Architect
“Clarity in the final design is achieved through a process of refining and honing until all that is left is absolute and eloquent.”
The great room lives up to its name, as it’s an extraordinary space to be in on a glorious day or during an intense thunderstorm. The bridge evolved from an early idea to put the most important room in the most dynamic place, where the site conditions could be experienced and appreciated with the most intensity.
The home delivers an immersive experience, focused on the natural realm with little indication of the surrounding neighborhood. It is sensitive to regional context, absolutely site-specific, and decidedly modern, taut, and clean-lined. It is also a far cry from the mid-century modern structure that Smith was originally tasked with renovating — each design scheme became hamstrung by the existing architectural bones and, after many months, the solution was clear: tear down the B-house and start over with a new one to match the A+site. Today, the family is so pleased with their home that they periodically send Smith messages of gratitude or videos of meaningful moments, such as water running through the ravine during a storm, to emphasize their happiness. To Smith, these are the best accolades and a reminder of a wonderful and trusting relationship between the owners and their architect.
Photography by Casey Dunn
Photography by Mark Menjívar
Photography by Clay Grier