Sitkin Residence
Linden, California

Set among the oaks and gentle contours of a Central Valley meadow, the Sitkin Residence is a seamless marriage of built and natural environments.

A great room with a soaring ceiling opens to an expanse of meadow. Sitting areas and the master bath are sheltered in the tranquility of a garden, while lofts and kitchen spaces soak in the morning sun as it rises above majestic oaks. Site and structure are further blended together by the burrowing of the garage into a natural swale, and the linking of the home via a skybridge to a spa set on an adjacent knoll.

The residence has been sited to take advantage of topography and existing foliage in minimizing solar gain. Substantial overhang treatments, trellis areas, window-shading devices, a circulating-water heating system and a zone-controlled heat pump provide additional energy-savings. Passive and active environmental management systems are utilized throughout the living spaces.

This project earned a BRIC-Merit Award from the Brick and Roofing Institute of California, and a State Award of Excellence from the Propane Gallery of Architectural Design.