Caterpillar House

The design for the Caterpillar House, sited on the softly rolling hills of the Santa Lucia Preserve, sought to accentuate a connection to the land. Having lived in a Cliff May home, the client came to the project with a love of modern ranch houses and looking for an environmentally-conscious response to a beautiful site. The Caterpillar House implements sustainable elements while exploring a contemporary version of the ranch ideals: massing that is low and horizontal, an open plan with a strong connection between indoor and outdoor spaces, and main living areas that center informally on the kitchen.

SUSTAINABILITY
Connecting the home literally and figuratively to the site, excavated earth was repurposed for the construction of the walls. These rammed earth walls gently curve in response to the site’s contours and also act as a thermal mass, regulating temperatures from day to night. Three tanks close to the home proudly store rainwater and provide all of the property’s irrigation needs. Large south-facing glass doors open the main living area to a large covered contemporary porch and to an outdoor patio with sunshades that expand and contract to allow for a flexible entertaining area that responds to the client’s needs. The glazing, natural ventilation and operable shading also act as a passive heating and cooling system. Integrated photovoltaic panels enable the house to produce all of its own energy requirements without compromising the graceful curve of the low roof against the hill. The Caterpillar House was the first LEED Platinum Custom Home on California’s Central Coast.

LOCATION Carmel, California

PROJECT TEAM
Contractor: Groza Construction
Landscape Design: Joni Janecki + Associates
Lighting Design: Revolver Design
Engineer: Yu Strandberg Engineering
Rammed Earth Consultant: Rammed Earth Works
Energy Consultant: Monterey Energy Group
Water Consultant: Earthcraft Landscape Design
LEED for Homes Representative: Michael Heacock + Associates
Photography: Joe Fletcher

AWARDS & RECOGNITION
California Home + Design: Best Residential Architecture under 3000sf, 2012
AIA Monterey Bay: Citation Award for Excellence in Design, 2011
Interior Design Magazine Honoree for Best of Year: Custom Home Design – Suburban, 2011
Builder Magazine’s Grand Award for Custom Home less than 3,500 sf, 2011
Featured on Monterey Design Conference Home Tour, October 2011
EcoHome Magazine’s Grand Award for Design, 2011
AIA San Francisco Design Citation: Energy & Sustainability, 2011

FEATURED PUBLICATIONS
Rural Modern
Design Bureau: Special Edition
Builder Magazine
Passive Houses: Energy Efficient Homes
design milk
Digs