In the spring of 2009, a fire in the foothills above the Santa Barbara Mission destroyed 80 homes. This residence was a personal journey out of the ashes and up over numerous regulatory and financial hurdles to the rebirth of a 2700 SF house that embraces the modern - in technology and design - while simultaneously giving due deference to the beauty, climate suitability and fire resistance of the indigenous architecture of early California, which is still visible in the Mission area. The design is transparent, using high performance glass in narrow steel frames to temper its south-facing exposure without sacrificing views. Privacy is protected by walls of local sandstone that appear first along the driveway, lead into and surround the entry courtyard, then slice though the house, separating public and private spaces, grounding the home and directing views out to the panorama of the Santa Barbara coast.
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