Westside DIGS | Digital Edition Online

16 DIGS.NET | 1.22.2021 A R C H I T E C T U R E + D E S I G N P R O F I L E | F I E L D A R C H I T E C T U R E to be removed. This particular hurdle, among many, made Dawnridge something of a moon-shot project, but in choosing to see obstacles as advantages, Field created a uniquely pure architecture respectful and reflective of the environment. "It may have appeared to many unbuildable," Field says of the site, which he saw as one community, with the oak woodland—the native backbone of California ecology—and, at the center of the prime buildable area, a giant blue oak that has stood for 200 years. "We thought, this isn't an impediment to building, this is the sentinel of the site." In making space for the tree, which was home to a magnificent hawk, and using it and other assets of nature to inform the architecture, Dawnridge feels deeply organic, a source of both depth and perpetuity. Upon approach of Dawnridge, the building pronounces itself as nestled into the landscape. The aforementioned giant oak springs from what appears to be the middle of the house, as if there's a part of the structure in front of the tree and another part behind. The different sides of what is a kind of wishbone form follows the geometry of the creek, amplifying the effect of the land shaping the building. That this land is also visible in the building itself is due to the materials—Alaskan yellow cedar and weathering Corten steel that will age gracefully over time, deepening the house's dialogue with the natural environ- ment—and Field's rethink of the board and batten siding that is the typical regional vernacular. He essentially eliminated the board and kept the bat to create a single language of material and construction that's adaptable to different conditions while allowing for natural ventilation and light. Engagement with the surrounding landscape is a constant theme throughout Dawnridge. Indeed, one senses little sepa- ration between interior and exterior realms. With massive walls of glass on one side and a narrow vertical aperture of glass on the other framing deliberate views of the outdoor milieu, Dawnridge represents the apex of California's indoor/outdoor lifestyle—the dining room is quite literally outside, for example, while a living area shares space with a rock garden. "It really is designed to open up and tune in to what's happening outside that is animated and rich," explains Field. It may be when the frogs come out or the time of day when the sun shines softest through the vertical slats. Based on one's position in the house, there is always another view, he adds, "so that over time, you really get to know the individual moments of the landscape." Recognized with AIA California's Honor Award, Dawnridge is legacy work, an example of Field Architecture's wonderful progression of projects that are unique to their sites and together form a regional expression of how buildings respond to the land of a particular place. "We really see architecture as something that, if done right, outlives us, and is part of a beautiful cycle of perseverance and sustainability," says Field. This, of course, is admirable, but for Field Architecture, it's also second nature."fieldarchitecture.com CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: FEATURING SEATING BY FYRN, THE DINING SPACE IS FASHIONED AS AN OUTDOOR ROOM; MINIMAL FURNISHINGS ARE USED SPARINGLY SO THAT SPACE REMAINS OPEN AND AIRY; ANOTHER VIEW OF THE LIVING SPACE; THE MODERN STAIRCASE IS FLANKED BY SLATTED SIDING. TOGETHER THE FEATURES OF DAWNRIDGE COMPOSE A RESIDENCE THAT EXPOSES THE BEAUTY OF BOTH WORLDS—INDOORS AND OUT. "It really is designed to open up and tune in to what's happening outside that is animated and rich."

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