Bluff House
Mendocino, California
Located above the rugged Pacific coast on a bluff that overlooks the ocean, this house connects its owners to the landscape, light, and views while protecting them from the year-round winds that buffet the coast.
The house, organized in two wings, creates an outdoor courtyard with walls to the north and west. A hedgerow of trees provides privacy and shelter to the east. The public activities of the house take place at the joint where the two wings meet: living, dining, and eating.
The house, built from modest materials and conventional framing, includes cladding of cement board, with some exposed and others covered with copper. With time, the copper will weather developing a patina gained from exposure to the sea air, adding another dimension to the sense of place.
Structural Engineer: Duncan Engineering
