A Special Private Retreat Built Around Old Oak Trees

When confronted with a selection between showcasing the amazing views or preserving the trees growing on the site, studio Mork-Ulnes Architects actually chose to practise both. They managed that past dividing the floor programme of this modernistic retreat into three separate sections. The firm which is located in Ukiah, the U.Due south. is very similar to a prefab motel in many ways but at the same time has its own unique identity.

You can see here how two of the volumes shelter the old oak tree between them, allowing it to grow undisturbed — Yous can see here how ii of the volumes shelter the old oak tree between them, allowing information technology to abound undisturbed

It's worth mentioning that this was a project with a very small budget and in order to continue the costs low and also to follow the sustainable road which their clients preferred, the architects chose to use standard-sized off the shelf materials, including lots of unfinished plywood and OSB.

The interior design is very simple and defined mostly by neutral colors — The interior design is very simple and defined more often than not past neutral colors

The palette of materials and finishes featured throughout the volumes helped this project stay within budget — The palette of materials and finishes featured throughout the volumes helped this project stay inside upkeep

Special efforts were made to preserve all existing trees on the site

The site on which this unusual house was congenital offers views of three land formation: the Hawkeye Rock, mountain ridge and the vineyards in the valley below. In club to exist able to frame all three views and to preserve the quondam oak trees present on the site, the firm was divided into three volumes which extend between the trees and are oriented each toward one of the 3 formations. Furthermore, the construction was built on steel stilts, a decision made in society to protect the roots of the trees.