Bixby Retreat
Carmel, Calif.
Fougeron Architecture

This refuge for quiet living makes use of natural materials and fine detailing

For more photos click on 'photos & drawings' above.

Located in Bixby Canyon, this 2,500 square-foot, two-bedroom residence is designed to sit lightly on the heavily wooded site. In contrast to the steep solid walls of the surrounding canyon, the roof is delicately positioned to float above a clerestory band of extruded glass, encouraging views from within the house up to the surrounding ridgeline and blue sky.

The horizontal organization of the house is emphasized by the wood slat screen that extends out into the natural landscape. This line helps to define the natural order of the site as part of the living space by creating privacy from the entry drive and merging the rectilinear organization of the house with the apparent randomness of the surrounding trees. A solid, light-filled volume containing the vertical circulation anchors the house to the site.

Materials include wood from the few trees that were cleared for construction, as well as standing seam copper sheets for cladding. Organic in nature, the materials are refined in their assemblage and detail, creating a sensual living space that is both modern and contextual. The back of the house is open to views of the nearby creek, and a solid vertical volume contains the circulation to the open space of the storage and library.

Formal name of building:
Bixby Retreat

Location:
Carmel, Calif.

Gross Square Footage:
2,500 sq. ft.

Architect:
Fougeron Architecture
720 York Street, Suite 107
San Francisco, Ca 94110
Tel: 415.641.5744
Fax: 415.282.6434

Project Team:
Anne Fougeron, Russell Sherman, Vivian Dwyer, Guy Crims

Structural Engineer:
Endres Ware – Principal in charge: Paul Endres
2444 Spaulding Avenue
Berkeley, Ca 94703
Tel: 510.845.4533
Fax: 510.845.3906

Photographer(s) / Renderer(s):
Fougeron Architecture

CAD system, project management, or other software used:
VectorWorks www.nemetschek.net, FormZ www.formz.com , Photoshop www.adobe.com