ccs architecture erects diane middlebrook memorial writers’ residences

ccs architecture erects diane middlebrook memorial writers’ residences
image © paul dyer
all images courtesy of ccs architecture

as part of an effort to expand the djerassi resident artists program in woodside california, san francisco-based studio ccs architecture was commissioned to design a series of 280-squarefoot live/work cabins overlooking the santa cruz mountains and pacific ocean. collectively named the diane middlebrook memorial writers’ residence, the dwellings are equipped to house individual artists for month-long periods, providing ample southern-facing studio space as well as the program required of a home.

image © paul dyer

a long steel linear canopy structure comprised of a steel substructure supporting a corrugated metal roof spans an area of the site, establishing a south-west orientation. underneath, four similar cedar-clad structures sit individually from one another, each skewed and angled just slightly from each other so as to create a sense of disorder that juxtaposes the shared canopy above. the cabins serve as telescopes in a rural landscape, with a large glass wall framed by the timber exterior providing a private view of the picturesque terrain.

image © paul dyer

a solar array on the metal roof makes the structures self sufficient, covering the entire area except for the various perforations that offer glimpses of the sky through skylights in the cabins’ roofs. at the southernmost area of each floor plan exists the artists’ work spaces that receive the strong illumination of the southern sun and the full views. the sleeping areas in turn are pushed to the opposite end, enjoying a darker, more private ambiance.

image © paul dyer