Miner Road House: Faulkner Architects: Masterpiece Series

Description

This award-winning home is located on an eight acre, ex-urban property at the base of the Oakland Hills near San Francisco Bay. Formed of concrete and wrapped with Corten steel panels, the net zero energy residence is an elegant, low maintenance response to its context which is draped in rich green foliage and majestic native oak trees. Dense observation of the landscape, climate, culture, and existing uses and patterns of the site were integrated with the client's mission to mitigate environmental challenges. Technically a remodel, the house utilised the footprint of the existing house as a basis for a new floor plan. An existing fireplace was wrapped in concrete to serve as a major structural element anchoring the new architecture. This avoided additional grading and left the hillside open and natural. It also placed the new home directly under the shade of the old oaks, in intimate relationship with the trees surrounding it.

Oscar Riera Ojeda is an editor and designer based in the US, China, and Argentina. Born in 1966, in Buenos Aires, he moved to the United States in 1990. Since then he has published over two hundred books, assembling a remarkable body of work notable for its thoroughness of content, timeless character, and sophisticated and innovative craftsmanship. Oscar Riera Ojeda's books have been published by many prestigious publishing houses across the world, including Birkhauser, Byggfoerlaget, The Monacelli Press, Gustavo Gili, Thames & Hudson, Rizzoli, Damiani, Page One, ORO editions, Whitney Library of Design, and Taschen. Oscar Riera Ojeda is also the creator of numerous architectural book series, including Ten Houses, Contemporary World Architects, The New American House and The New American Apartment, Architecture in Detail, and Single Building. His work has received many international awards, in-depth reviews, and citations. He is a regular contributor and consultant for several publications in the field.