Sawmill / Olson Kundig

Sawmill / Olson Kundig - WindowsSawmill / Olson Kundig - Sofa, Windows, Table, Chair, BeamSawmill / Olson Kundig - Windows, FacadeSawmill / Olson Kundig - Image 5 of 25Sawmill / Olson Kundig - More Images+ 20

  • Architects: Olson Kundig
  • Area Area of this architecture project Area:  4170 ft²
  • Year Completion year of this architecture project Year:  2014
  • Photographs
    Photographs:Gabe Border
  • Manufacturers Brands with products used in this architecture project
    Manufacturers:  Chown Hardware
Sawmill / Olson Kundig - Windows
© Kevin Scott / Olson Kundig

Text description provided by the architects. Set in the harsh high desert of California, Sawmill is a family retreat embedded into the tough, scrubby landscape. Sawmill harnesses the challenges and opportunities of its remote site, emphasizing sustainable strategies and reclaimed materials. Demonstrating that high design can also be high performance, Sawmill is a net-zero home that operates completely off the grid.

Sawmill / Olson Kundig - Image 8 of 25
© Gabe Border

The client brief called for a self-sufficient home that maximized connection between architecture and nature, and between family members inside. Riffing on the tradition of tents around a campfire, the house is comprised of three wings connected by the central hearth in the living area. Here, a 12-by-26-foot window wall retracts with the turn of a wheel, transforming the outdoor patio into the fourth “tent” around the fire.

Sawmill / Olson Kundig - Sofa, Table, Door, Beam, Windows
© Gabe Border
Section
Sawmill / Olson Kundig - Table, Sofa, Chair, Windows, Beam
© Kevin Scott / Olson Kundig

Tough as nails, Sawmill is made from durable materials that can withstand the harsh climate, where fires are a major hazard in summer and winters are extremely cold. The design approach was driven by a scavenger mentality, seeking always to do more with less, including using salvaged and recycled materials whenever possible.

Sawmill / Olson Kundig - Windows, Door
© Gabe Border

Carefully sited to minimize disturbance to its remote environment, Sawmill acknowledges that while the desert is harsh, it is also fragile. Historically, the valley had been used for mining, ranching and logging – hence the name “Sawmill.” Recognizing this past exploitation of the site, the homeowners wanted their house to give back to the land, rather than take from it. Sawmill stands as a testament to high design as an environmental ethic – a building that connects people to place.

Sawmill / Olson Kundig - Table, Beam
© Gabe Border

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Cite: "Sawmill / Olson Kundig" 14 Jun 2018. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/896181/sawmill-olson-kundig> ISSN 0719-8884

© Kevin Scott / Olson Kundig

Sawmill 住宅,连接人与荒漠的建筑 / Olson Kundig

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