Our client desired a unique and expressive pavilion behind her Brentwood residence to accommodate frequent guests. A conservationist, art enthusiast, and philanthropist she asked for a modestly scaled intervention that would not impinge on the privacy of the neighbors or overwhelm the tranquility of the lush garden at the rear of the property. We developed a strategy to preserve the riparian natural setting by designing two distinct pavilions partially submerged into the hillside linked by a planted roofscape. The guesthouse forms a transition between the upper and lower terrace, and at certain points, disappears into the surrounding landscape to become part of the garden. Occupants are meant to experience each volume as similar in size and proportion yet individual in character and their relationship to the terrain; one introverted and the other extroverted.
The bedroom pavilion offers a more contemplative experience. Partially submerged into the hillside, its roof is transformed into a planter of native grasses. The ceiling suspended above the bed in the shape of a boat hull, creates a cocoon-like space. Clerestory windows defer views to the canopy of trees and sky beyond. In contrast, the living pavilion frames views through apertures carved into the wood-paneled interior interspersed with strips of glass that allow slivers of light to seep in. Sheathed in weathered copper, both interior and exterior materials are highly textured, warm and natural. A large window opens to the garden and creek and the hatch-like roof enclosed by glass on three sides lifts to the sky, illuminating the space with the play of light throughout the day and dissolving boundaries between inside and outside.
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