St. Helena

The approach to this private estate stretches diagonally down wide pavers set within a grassy courtyard while soft overgrown groundcover drifts between pavers — an early hint that the home, though thoroughly modern, also evokes the sense of an ancient ruin. Monolithic stone walls, wide expanses of glass, steel, and red elm bring warmth to the underside of the long, flat roofs. The home is as much defined by its materials as it is by the material’s edge; strict lines cutting against the organic edge of landscape.

Stark geometries shift in and out of focus, a wide wall becomes a thin pillar in profile; thin, flat roof edges transition to exaggerated overhangs. The house’s multi-dimensional architecture produces two distinct experiences of the surrounding landscape: long, wide vistas, and restrained, tightly framed views. Alongside this exploration of the sloped site, the home also ventures below to an underground tunnel dug into the hill revealing a significant wine cellar and private tasting room.