The Goal of the design is to create an active environment for human activities on site. The Site (RMV Reserve) is a large open land surrounded by natural and human made elements which has granted the site a specific character. The design is based on how to take The Ortega freeway (California 57) on the south, the San Joan creek on the west and the hills on the north and east which are the land limits into consideration and how to determine a unique relationship between the existing elements on, site such as the hey barn and the ranch house in order to be responsive to the demands of human activities which the reserve expects to hold.
The design policy is to respect the existing human footprint on site and fitting into the movement and physical patterns. Moreover creating various micro environments based on the discussions with landscape partners has been another fact so the proposal can be respectful to the surrounding nature. As a result the sitting area is the northern part of the site. The sitting area is accessed by the paved walkway which goes around the big old Oak tree and passes in front of the existing ranch house.
The proposal is based on a vernacular vision in order to amplify the identity of the ranch and ranch construction. The proposal offer includes several structures which are smaller rather than a large and solid building. In other words a large space which holds smaller spaces inside, has been broken down into micro spaces, the multi-purpose room, the storages and the restrooms. The micro buildings are arranged along a metal structure which is spanned along the topography lines. The relationship between the micro structures and the metal roof above them is determined in the way that the whole complex can welcome the nature to run through the building while providing various views not only towards different environments on the ranch, but also towards further hills at the north.
The building holds series of stories. First, the main access; the main access to the building is from the southern part of the span which touches the paved walkway and ties itself into the big old Oak tree branches by its expanded secondary expanded elements. The second step, entrance; there is a view provided for comers as they will to enter the complex. They will be able to look all through the span and across the micro buildings towards the hills on the north while they are standing beneath the metal butterfly roof. At the third step, there is a space for visitors to gather and discuss their plans of the day before starting their activity on site in front of the registration office and the gift shop and the visitors and gardening storages. The next step is the service area where visitors can have access to the restrooms before any activity starts. After that, there is the large multi-purpose room which holds not only indoor activities, but also can play a role in hosting outdoor activities while opening into the green pond on its left side which connects the multi-purpose room to the Gehry barn (an outdoor gathering space). The covered spaces created between the small buildings (ranch houses) are able to perform as exhibition, dinning, small gatherings and relaxing areas.
The proposal focuses on low cost simple structure. The structure proposal was based on construction methods which has already been used in the area. The smaller buildings construction system follows the existing ranch house on site and the long butterfly roof is hold up by a span which shares both barn s and greenhouse (structure existing on the Tree of life nursery site) structural features.