Sea Ranch 02 / The Sea Ranch's iconic Rush House, designed by Charles Moore and William Turnbull in 1970, changed hands in 2013. The new owners preserved the house's layout and footprint, restored the building envelope, and commissioned JLJA to work with the architects in reconceptualizing the landscape. Key goals included adding two free-standing sheds and connecting the interior more organically with the exterior. Placement of the two sheds provided an opportunity to enhance the entry sequence, frame a protected courtyard, and expand the home's connection to The Sea Ranch's meadow. In addition, the owners were eager to create a place for their family to play and explore nature, so salvaging and reusing materials was an important design criterion. When it was determined that several volunteer Monterey cypress trees that were leaning dangerously over the home required removal, the team milled the felled trees and converted them into benches, seating stumps, paving slabs, and stepping pads.

Photo: David Wakely Photography

Client: Private client
Location: The Sea Ranch in Sonoma, CA
Dates: 2015-2018
Size: 0.46-acre property
Architect: Turnbull Griffin & Haesloop
General Contractor: Forsythe General Contractors
Landscape Contractor: Terra Ferma Landscapes
Arborist: Urban Tree Management

Photo: David Wakely Photography