The Three Finger Design of Moose Rd House in California, USA

It would be nice to live in a home that has a lovely location. Seeing nature around you will seemingly recharge you from the busy work you have and from the noisy urban life. But aside from the location and the cradle of nature, the design of the house matters a lot too especially the interior. When your home has that organic feel inside, you’d definitely be pleased. The house that we will feature today combines organic and modern design for the interior and boasts a unique exterior that you haven’t seen before. It is called the Moose Rd in Ukiah, California, USA.

This private residence with an area of 1,140 square feet is designed by Mork-Ulnes Architects. The designers stated: “Three locally known land formations can be seen from the site of this project: “Eagle Rock”, a mountain ridge, and the valley of vineyards below. The main challenge was to frame these three separate views while at the same time, preserving each existing oak tree on site. The three fingers extend precisely in between the existing trees, each oriented toward a land formation. The house was constructed on steel stilts to avoid severing tree roots.” Intrigued with the three fingers? You’ll see that in the images below.

Mork-Ulnes Architects

You will never expect that behind these trees lies a beautiful modern home that never destroyed a single tree.

Moose Rd

On one side, this is how you will view the house. You will not expect that there are still two other volumes.

California house design

The house sits on steel stilts with wooden materials inside. We are not sure what it used for the exterior, though.

large glass window

Gorgeous. This is what we call beauty in simplicity because despite being minimal, the modern private residence is certainly a gem!

lawn area

From a distance, you can clearly see the three fingers of the house when it is lighted.

fireplace

The interior used unfinished plywood which adds to its simplicity and modern appeal.

bookshelf

Look closely at the open areas of the interior because these can actually be sealed.

wood interior

See? The open areas can be closed with wooden doors. Take note of the open shelving too that are also made from wood.

cross section

This is a cross section of the house. Just look at how simple it is.

floor plan

You will understand the design of the house through this floor plan.

Moose Road

Seen here is the diagram of the house showing us some parts of it like the parapet and the roof.

Moose Rd 9

A sketch plan of the house showing us its three finger structure.

Aside from what is stated above, the Mork-Ulnes Architects added that: “To cut cost as well as meet sustainability goals of the clients, the building was designed using standard sized, off the shelf sheet-goods (unfinished plywood and OSB) to minimize waste. The building was accomplished with a tiny budget (under $190 per square foot).” Who would expect that a house as beautiful as this actually didn’t need a big budget? Well, anything is possible as long as you have a good designer that has concern to his clients and the environment as well.