Earth Day: Designing With Nature in Mind

Zin House:  Field Architecture, Shawback Design,  Grassi & Associates, Surface Design Photographer: Matthew Millman

Spring is upon us, and as Earth Day approaches, we draw inspiration from built spaces that integrate the native surroundings. Preserving and enhancing California’s natural beauty is a strong value for many Bay Area-based design firms. With the dire issue of climate change, it’s essential to use more sustainable practices and knowledge about the environment when constructing the built world. Whether it’s reducing carbon emissions or designing a home’s material palette around the native plants and elements, it’s about keeping nature front of mind. 

Surf House:  Feldman Architecture, Commune Design, RJL Construction, Ground Studio Landscape Architecture  Photography: Joe Fletcher

Architect Jonathan Feldman and his San Francisco firm focus on decarbonization and regenerative design; their spaces combine aesthetics and practicality with a building's surroundings. One of Feldman's projects, Surf House in Santa Cruz, California, is an ocean-facing residence composed of reclaimed and repurposed Native Californian timber. The team reduced waste by utilizing every level of wood grade throughout the home.

Madrone Ridge: Field Architecture, Ann Lowengart Interiors, Dow Built, Lutsko Associates Photography: Joe Fletcher

Nature is an integral part of Field Architecture's creative process. When beginning a new project, the South Bay firm completes "Groundscape," which intensively explores the site's history, context, and resources. They aim for the architecture to harmoniously speak to its surroundings. The microclimate informed the design with their recent project, Madrone Ridge, in Sonoma, California. The residence is built around the natural water flow and incorporates three pavilions that capture rainwater to utilize on the property. The copper cladding will patina over time while also suited to weather the common Northern California risks of drought and wildfires.

Trilogy: Signum Architecture, Shawback Design, Knittel Construction, Roche + Roche Photographer: Cesar Rubio

Napa-based interior design firm Shawback Design sources the color palettes for many of its projects from the landscape's hues. For their Trilogy project in Healdsburg, California, they selected materials such as stone, cedar, and concrete for the interiors. They paired them with dynamic textures that echo the wine country hillside. An uninterrupted narrative weaves from the interiors to the exteriors, intentionally honoring the surrounding topography.