A Prefab in Santa Ynez Provides a Retired Couple With the Perfect California Retreat
On a remote hillside in wine country, a Los Angeles couple build an energy-efficient prefab with stunning views.
On a remote hillside in wine country, a Los Angeles couple build an energy-efficient prefab with stunning views.
It was almost two decades ago when photo agent Michele Karpé and her husband, John Andrews, purchased a property in the rolling hills of Santa Ynez, California. While living in Los Angeles, they spent years visiting the remote land on weekends, taking in breathtaking views and dreaming of the day they’d be able to build a little getaway. Unfortunately, it wasn’t as easy as they’d hoped.
By building parts off-site on an assembly line, Connect Homes says they cut down construction waste by as much as 60 percent.
Courtesy of Connect Homes
When the couple finally felt ready to build, they prepped the site, investing in a driveway to make it easier to traverse the quarter mile uphill from the nearest access road. They then drafted plans for a home and had them engineered, permitted, and even approved—processes that took a significant amount of time and financial investment—before learning that the costs to build would be more than double the estimate. Creating a home, they felt, was once again out of reach.
The wide porch and pathway are designed to accommodate wheelchair access for Michele’s sister.
Courtesy of Connect Homes
Connect’s decks—a design add-on—are made of the same steel frames as the interior modules. "Connect Homes’s steel frames mean that clients can put floor-to-ceiling glass anywhere around the perimeter of the house to connect to a view or outdoor space," explains company cofounder and architect Gordon Stott.
Courtesy of Connect Homes
See the full story on Dwell.com: A Prefab in Santa Ynez Provides a Retired Couple With the Perfect California Retreat
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