Suburban Silicon Valley home provides a refuge for nature
Nestled in a Silicon Valley suburb, Dawnbridge is a home by Field Architecture that embraces the site’s natural topography and native flora

Joe Fletcher - Photography
For Palo Alto based Field Architects, composing a new build home on a plot in one of Silicon Valley's suburbs was all about connecting with the land; getting to know their site and making, not only the most its surface potential, but also ensuring the landscape has room to breathe and existing natural conditions are respected and incorporated into their proposal. The result is Dawnbridge, a private house created next to a creek and sheltered underneath large oak trees.
‘Dawnbridge re-envisions the site as a reawakened fragment of the natural environment settled in a developed setting,' say the architects. Studying their parcel's topography and native flora and fauna, the team identified their focus: to attempt to ‘revive a fragment of the area’s natural environment', in what is an increasingly urban neighbourhood.
‘We designated more than half of the site as a natural, protected habitat, prioritizing the restoration of an intermittent freshwater stream that winds along the northern edge of the site,' continue the architects. The remainder of the plot – the chosen buildable area – is now occupied by a fairly low volume, softened by vertical timber cladding that guides the gaze upwards towards the trees and sky. Rounded corners and expanses of glass that create reflections and a dialogue with the garden reinforce the structure's subtlety.
The internal programme allows for generous spaces and comfortable living, but works in tandem with the landscape. The house's only dining area, for example, is in fact located outdoors, blurring the boundaries between inside and out. Materials and colours (ash wood, light grey concrete) were selected to match the environment – built and natural. Tall ceilings, large opening and terraces make sure residents are continually connected with the garden.
This residence was designed as a refuge – both for the family that lives in it, but also the area's delicate ecosystem, championing an architectural approach that promotes health and wellbeing for all.
INFORMATION
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).
-
ICON 4x4 goes EV, giving their classic Bronco-based restomod an electric twist
The EV Bronco is ICON 4x4’s first foray into electrifying its range of bespoke vintage off-roaders and SUVs
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
‘Dressed to Impress’ captures the vivid world of everyday fashion in the 1950s and 1960s
A new photography book from The Anonymous Project showcases its subjects when they’re dressed for best, posing for events and celebrations unknown
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Inside Camperlab’s Harry Nuriev-designed Paris store, a dramatic exercise in contrast
The Crosby Studios founder tells Wallpaper* the story behind his new store design for Mallorcan shoe brand Camperlab, which centres on an interplay between ‘crushed concrete’ and gleaming industrial design
By Jack Moss Published
-
We explore Franklin Israel’s lesser-known, progressive, deconstructivist architecture
Franklin Israel, a progressive Californian architect whose life was cut short in 1996 at the age of 50, is celebrated in a new book that examines his work and legacy
By Michael Webb Published
-
A new hilltop California home is rooted in the landscape and celebrates views of nature
WOJR's California home House of Horns is a meticulously planned modern villa that seeps into its surrounding landscape through a series of sculptural courtyards
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
The Frick Collection's expansion by Selldorf Architects is both surgical and delicate
The New York cultural institution gets a $220 million glow-up
By Stephanie Murg Published
-
Remembering architect David M Childs (1941-2025) and his New York skyline legacy
David M Childs, a former chairman of architectural powerhouse SOM, has passed away. We celebrate his professional achievements
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
The upcoming Zaha Hadid Architects projects set to transform the horizon
A peek at Zaha Hadid Architects’ future projects, which will comprise some of the most innovative and intriguing structures in the world
By Anna Solomon Published
-
Frank Lloyd Wright’s last house has finally been built – and you can stay there
Frank Lloyd Wright’s final residential commission, RiverRock, has come to life. But, constructed 66 years after his death, can it be considered a true ‘Wright’?
By Anna Solomon Published
-
Heritage and conservation after the fires: what’s next for Los Angeles?
In the second instalment of our 'Rebuilding LA' series, we explore a way forward for historical treasures under threat
By Mimi Zeiger Published
-
Why this rare Frank Lloyd Wright house is considered one of Chicago’s ‘most endangered’ buildings
The JJ Walser House has sat derelict for six years. But preservationists hope the building will have a vibrant second act
By Anna Fixsen Published