project

Our first step was to reorient the entry sequence, adding a long front porch that welcomes visitors and shades the house in the summer, reconnecting the house with the neighborhood, and giving it a friendly street presence it had never had. An all-white palette and standing-seam metal roof reference the Sonoma farmhouse vernacular.

Passive houses generally utilize about 90 percent less energy than a typical home through airtight construction, extra-thick walls, ultra-efficient windows and a ventilation system that recovers and reuses heat generated in the home. Set on an uninsulated slab foundation, with eight-foot ceilings and a wall to roof ratio of 13 to 1, (passive house design normally dictates a 4 to 1 ration), this house presented a significant renovation challenge in terms of efficiency and aesthetics.

We oriented the plan around the existing courtyard, replacing the breezeway with a 16-foot sliding glass door that floods the interior with light. Inside, a tapering main axis optimizes space and rolling doors separate uses. We covered the slab foundation with a blanket with insulation, then installed a sprung wood floor on top. Extra thick walls, insulation and triple-pane windows keep the structure airtight, and solar panels provide energy. We installed a small energy recovery ventilator – about the size of two microwave ovens – adjacent to the kitchen, which is key to keeping the inside temperature comfortable year-round.