ORCHARD HILL

Once a wagon stop along the route from Santa Clara Valley to La Honda and Pescadero on the coast, the property sits at a clearing just below a steep hillside Redwood forest. The rolling and open nature of the site, logged and cleared many years ago, offers expansive views of the Peninsula, South Bay Area and remnant fruit orchards of apples, pears, plums and persimmon. Fortunately, the large heritage oak trees were retained, which provide a wonderful layering within the property. Nestled perfectly in this natural threshold between the upper residence and lower meadow, the pool and pool house provide a serene experience with native meadows to the east and the remnant orchard to the west.

A primary goal of the project was to maintain the rural character of the site. By restoring native grasslands in the open, rolling areas of the property and retaining its fruit orchard, the main development areas were allowed to slip into naturally wooded edges where the site had been previously disturbed. The strategic placement of the building designed by Fergus Garber Young Architects along with the site’s ecotones affords layered, uninterrupted views of the property and long vistas to the valley and mountains beyond.