San Francisco-based studio CSS Architecture has designed the Seadrift Residence. Completed in 2007, this 1,900 square foot contemporary home is located in Stinson Beach, California, USA. The design follows a rigorous sustainability program, achieving the Marin Planning Department’s highest rating for resource efficiency. Photovoltaic panels generate all the home’s electricity, sending surplus energy back to the grid. All the home’s systems—hot water, HVAC, and radiant heating—are integrated, electric-based, and powered by the PV panels on the roof. The only use of natural gas is at the cooking range, which draws from a 50-gallon propane tank. With the exception of the propane tank, the home is net-zero in terms of its energy consumption. Inside, the building is zoned into living and bedroom wings. The living room, kitchen and dining spaces comprise the main area, with an adjacent family room. Articulated skylights bring in lots of patterned light. The fire orb rotates to send warmth to the living room or outside to the deck. The compact, bedroom wing is sequestered for sleeping. Two bathrooms, enclosed with pocket doors, intersperse the three bedrooms for shared and en suite use.
