Tea Houses

CA, United States

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Bathroom Collection - AXOR Starck

Other Projects by Swatt Miers Architects

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Krubiner Prefab Prototype House

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Tea Houses

CA, United States

Firm

Swatt Miers Architects

Type

Residential ›

YEAR

2009

SIZE

1000 sqft - 3000 sqft

The idea for the tea houses originated years ago, when the
owner and his young daughter explored the remote hills surrounding their
Silicon Valley home, discovering an idyllic setting below a ridge, under a
grove of large California Live Oak trees. At first, the family thought the setting would be perfect for a tree
house. Years later, the vision was realized as
three individual tea houses, places where one could simply retreat into nature. Each tea house is designed as a transparent steel and glass
pavilion, hovering like a lantern over the natural landscape. Cast-in-place concrete core elements anchor
the pavilions, supporting steel channel rim joists, which cantilever beyond the
cores to support the floor and roof planes.
With its minimal footprint, the design treads lightly on the land,
minimizing grading and preserving the delicate root systems of the native oaks. The three tea houses vary in size, each with its own unique
purpose. The 270 square foot
‘meditation’ tea house, nestled under the canopy of the largest oak tree, is a
place for individual contemplation. The
slightly larger ‘sleeping’ tea house, approximately 372 square feet, is a place
designed for overnight stays. This
structure is joined by a sky-lit bathroom core, which bridges to the largest
tea house. At 492 square feet, the ‘visioning’
tea house is for intimate gatherings and creative thinking. The notion of ‘quiet simplicity’ is a
consistent theme throughout – there are no phones, televisions or audio systems
within these structures. The design emphasizes sustainability. Steel framed doors and awning windows provide
access and high–low ventilation, while custom-modified aluminum sliding
doors dissolve the barrier between inside and outside. Natural cooling is enhanced by shading from
strategically placed landscaping, including evergreen redwood trees and bamboo,
and deciduous maple and gingko trees. Heating is provided by a hydronic radiant system below the
flooring. Electricity is produced
on-site by a photovoltaic array mounted on the roof of the main house. The interiors are executed with a simple palette of
contrasting materials – crisply detailed steel and glass, and more ‘organic’
unfinished concrete, board formed and wire brushed to expose the wood grain,
and cedar boards, recycled from the remodeling of the main house.