If you had a 3.25ha site on which to build
a new home, you might think a lot of the
initial discussion would be about where to
place the house to best advantage. But that
wasn’t the case when designing this Napa
Valley home says architect Jim Zack.
His design needed to take into account
the sloping nature of the ridgetop site,
ensure it complied with strict building
codes for the area, as well as include a
300m driveway with a substantial turn-
ing bay, to allow access for fire trucks if
needed in the hot, dry seasons.
A previous owner of the site had
already obtained approvals for a house
on a particular spot, which gave Zack
a little more latitude than current code
restrictions and also met all the other site
requirements.
“So there really was only that one
place to put the house,” he says.
“It’s a dramatic site, with great views
to the west across the valley, and to the top
of a wooded hill to the east.
“But it was also challenging, as there
was not a lot of space in the building area.”
Previous pages: Designed by architect Jim Zack,
this ridgetop house consists of two box-like
structures. The first, clad in cedar, contains the
home’s public spaces – living, dining, kitchen – that
connect to a sheltered outdoor living area complete
with a substantial barbecue and pizza oven.
Facing page: From the entrance, there’s a clear line
of sight along a corridor running the full length of
the home to the master suite at the end.
Above: The living areas take in views of the pool to
the side, and wide valley views to the front.
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