COVER OF ART & ARCHITECTURE| California off-grid oasis

Hidden on a 170-acre property in the hills of Healdsburg, CA, this off-grid homestead fits into the landscape effortlessly. Perched on a south-facing hillside, the home uses passive solar design. It is constructed of Watershed Block masonry and straw bale. Timber was milled on site. The internal design details of custom milled live-edge wood and lime plaster work to bring together sustainability and beauty.

The open design brings the landscape inside. The kitchen opens to the edible garden for easy harvest. An upper level of the house was designed as an essential oil studio and apothecary. This faces the medicinal aromatherapy garden. The homes sustainable elements include solar and a living vegetated roof. We planted the roof with sedums and led the roof run off into pollinator habitat and rain gardens. The use of permeable hardscape, dry-stacked stone, rain chains and native plants optimize water use. Herbal ground covers and native meadow grasses were implemented to create a resilient landscape.

Natives and herbs were set as the landscape’s foundation as part of a natural ecology that has adapted over thousands of years to be suited specifically to California and its climate. The design team created a modern oasis of sustainable design by integrating the entire site to create the best in sustainability.

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