Location: Ventana Canyon Estates
Size: 5000 SF

The challenges for the design for this residence came in many forms.

The site was outrageously steep with a massive rock outcropping that both the Owner and I wanted to preserve and enhance. This is a fairly large house with a three car garage, which requires a certain amount of 'flat area' for auto drives and patios. By chipping and shaping the rock on the uphill side and retaining the excavated material on the downslope we were able to use the rock face as an outdoor "room" at the entry to the residence. The waterfall coming off the top of this cliff with the catch basin below was the owner's idea, providing a focal point for the library window and an oasis at the entry gate.

Views, Views, Views. The site has them in spades and to capture them to the best advantage is a curved wall of glass for the Great Room. This radius room also allowed the house to rotate in plan and follow the natural topography of the site to further relate other rooms to their respective views.

The Owners have their roots in the agricultural world. So within the detail and fabric of the home are many references to seeds, grains, plants and even agricultural building forms. The dining room has the shape of a grain elevator and some of the interior color scheme was chosen because they resemble the color of corn and barley. The downstairs patio ceiling is the color of the sky and the pool patio wall is ocher because I like it.

It was a pleasure designing this house and I think the challenges were met, the dreams realized.

Bill Gansline
Architect