Set in the rugged High Desert of California, Sawmill is a family retreat embedded in the tough, scrubby landscape north of Los Angeles. The building harnesses the challenges and opportunities of its isolated site, emphasising 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.
The client brief called for a self-sufficient residence that maximised the connection between architecture and nature, and between family members inside.
Riffing on the tradition of tents around a campfire, the structure is comprised of three wings connected by the central hearth in the living area. Here, a 3.7 by 8 metre window wall retracts with the turn of a wheel, transforming the outdoor patio into the fourth “tent” around the fire.
Sawmill Tehachapi, Olson Kundig, CA, USA
Photo 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, always seeking to do more with less, including using salvaged and recycled materials whenever possible.
Carefully sited to minimise disturbance to its remote environment, the project acknowledges that while the desert is demanding, it is also fragile. Historically, the valley had been used for mining, ranching and logging – hence the name “Sawmill”. Recognising this past exploitation of the area, 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.