Sun and Sky House – Corralitos, CA

Perched high in the hills above the Pajaro Valley, the Sun and Sky House commands expansive views of Monterey Bay, the Salinas and Pajaro Valleys, and the surrounding landscape. The site—remote, undeveloped, and climatically exposed—provided an ideal setting for a home rooted in environmental performance and climate-responsive design. From the outset, the clients’ brief emphasized very high levels of insulation, on-site renewable energy (including solar photovoltaics, wind generation, and solar hot water), and the exploration of alternative building materials, closely aligning with the firm’s sustainable design mission.

Conceived from first principles, the completed home employs fundamental strategies of responsible solar design. A “thin” building organization, oriented along an east–west axis, maximizes the south-facing building envelope for solar gain while encouraging cross-ventilation and the natural flow of cooling breezes. This same organizational strategy ensures abundant daylight throughout the interior, reducing reliance on artificial lighting.

Rooms are zoned both vertically and horizontally to support seasonal adaptability, with cooler north-facing spaces used during warm periods and sunnier southern rooms occupied during cooler months. Natural heat stratification further enhances thermal comfort, while substantial concrete floor slabs provide thermal mass that acts as a thermal battery, moderating diurnal temperature swings.

The completed project integrates passive thermal strategies with a photovoltaic array and site-based wind generation, enabling the owners to live with a significantly reduced carbon footprint and a high degree of energy independence. The Sun and Sky House stands as a built expression of sustainable design principles, where architecture, climate, and landscape are tightly integrated.