Happy Valley Residence | Swatt | Miers Architects

The site for this new 10,800 square foot home is a prized 2.3 acre level parcel, bordered by a year-round creek in Lafayette, California. 
A key design strategy involved re-using the footprint of a pre-existing home as the basis of the design – in order to preserve the beautiful mature landscaping that surrounds the home on all sides. The result is a home that had a timeless quality the day it was completed, perfectly knitted to its beautiful site.
The plan is a simple “H” shape with an entry courtyard on the north side and a large covered lanai on the south side. 
Materials are warm and natural, including Western Red Cedar for siding, some interior walls and ceilings, and travertine walls, flooring and terraces. 
Windows and doors were custom made of Douglas Fir, stained to match the cedar siding. 

Photography by Russell Abraham and Marion Brenner