This four-bedroom, two-bathroom house in Mill Valley, California was built for a young family and sited beside a goat pasture.
The house is composed of a single long wing capped by a clerestory over the open great room and kitchen. Entry and secondary service spaces are found at either end of this wing. Along one side of this open space is a wall composed entirely of built-in bookshelves, which separates the public and private areas of the house.
Entries into the bedrooms punctuate the shelf wall, while the doors slide on a continuous track hung from the shelf. To maximize space in the relatively small bedrooms, each has a bed alcove, which takes advantage of the extra thickness of the straw-bale walls.
The design and construction of this house emphasize energy conservation. Most exterior walls are made from stacked straw bale with a sprayed earth finish. Deep roof overhangs minimize summer solar gain, while generous windows, including the clerestory, provide ample daylight. The roof employs cellulose insulation and is finished with Meadowood, a rye-grass composite board.
Copyright Notice: The design of this house is owned by the designer, and it may not be copied without permission.
