Caterpillar House

We never tire of presenting the luxurious achievements of Feldman Architecture. Each project marries contemporary architecture with California's wilderness. The Caterpillar House is once again proof.
Located on the gentle hills of the Santa Lucia reserve, the design was intended to accentuate the link with the land. Having lived in a Cliff May house, the client wanted the house to look like a modern ranch and be environmentally friendly and beautiful. The dwelling uses sustainable elements while exploring a contemporary version of the ideals of the ranch: low and horizontal volumes, an open plan with a strong connection between interior and exterior spaces and central living spaces.

Connecting the house literally and figuratively to the site, the excavated earth was reused for the construction of the walls. These clay walls curl gently in response to the contours of the site and also act as a thermal mass, regulating the temperatures from day to night. Three tanks near the house recover and store rainwater and provide all the irrigation needs of the property. Large, south-facing glass doors open the main living room to a large covered contemporary porch and an outdoor patio with umbrellas. Glazing, natural ventilation and shading also act as a passive heating and cooling system. The integrated photovoltaic panels allow the house to produce its own energy needs without compromising the graceful curve of the roof.