Caner / Beier Residence

Napa County, CA

Located on a steep, west facing slope of the Lovall Valley, the residence nestles into a saddle in the land tucked behind a small knoll. Segmenting the program into four individual structures takes advantage of the views and reinforces the connection with the site: vistas are framed of the classic oak and grass landscape and of the spectacular views both west towards Sonoma and south towards San Francisco. Organized along the contour of the hill, the indoor rooms create places of privacy while forming more public outdoor rooms between them. Each room balances view and solar gain with careful window placement and shading devices.

The main spaces are of sprayed earth construction – providing both thermal modulation in its 18” thickness and a rich, patinaed finish – with a roof structure of recycled fir trusses and salvaged cypress decking. Rammed earth is used at the fireplace and loggia columns for drama. A corrugated metal roof and plywood and batten siding or cribbing on secondary spaces draw from the agrarian California vernacular giving the buildings a more casual and modern feel.

Awards and Publications

Cleary, Mark, ed, 200 Houses, Images Publishing Group 2012
Claudio Santini & Dafna Zilafro,  Green is Beautiful: The Eco-Friendly House, Images Publishing Group, 2009
Roberts, Jennifer, Good Green Kitchens, Gibbs Smith, 2006
Mulfinger, Dale, The Getaway Home: Discovering Your Home Away From Home, The Taunton Press 2004
Roberts, Jennifer, Good Green Homes, Gibbs Smith, 2003
Davis, Jody, ed. 100 of the World’s Best Houses, Images Publishing Group, 2002
Krauel, Jacobo, Sustainable Architecture/Low Tech Houses, Links International 2002
AIA SF “Small Firms, Great Projects” 2002
San Francisco Magazine "Modernist Times", November 2002
Organic Style, "Dream House on a Hill", July/August 2002
Custom Home, "Practically Green: A simpler approach to green building", March 2002
East Bay AIA Award 2001
Sunset/AIA Merit Award 2001
Sunset Magazine, "Bathroom Ideas", December 2001
Sunset Magazine, 2001-2002 Western Home Awards: "Harvesting the View", October 2001 (Cover article)

Design Team

Contractor: Chas Netzow Construction
Photographer: Edward Caldwell