Having worked as an engineer at firms such as Apple and Microsoft, Ken Goto was already well versed in pushing the envelope of innovation when he tapped husband-and-wife duo Lisa Iwamoto and Craig Scott of IwamotoScott Architecture to create his holiday home in Napa, California.

Goto, who already owned one of IwamotoScott’s previous works, wanted a similarly contemporary structure for an elevated clearing overlooking spectacular views of forested hills and Lake Berryessa.

Inspired by the breathtaking vistas, the architects used the 360-degree views to shape the design of the sculptural retreat, a 2,300-square-foot hexagonal structure that maximizes indoor/outdoor connection.

“The house’s design engages the spatial dynamics of its situation through the formal and experiential activation of negative space, relative to conditions of surface, material, view, and landscape,” note the architects.

The complex geometry was also informed by the home’s four programmatic zones. These spaces include a combined kitchen, dining area, and living room; a master bedroom; a kid’s bedroom; and a yoga room/flex room with a guest bath.

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At the center of the home is a glass-walled, rhombus-shaped courtyard that funnels light into the heart of the building, and ensures a constant connection to the landscape throughout the home.

“As one moves about the house, the spatial experience offered is one of dynamic balance between introversion toward the central court and extraversion toward the surrounding views,” explain the architects.

To not detract from the surroundings, the interior is simply dressed in a minimalist palette of honed concrete slab floors (with in-floor radiant heating), wood paneled ceilings, and white birch walls. Sliding doors emphasize the minimalist aesthetic.

Drawing on his experience in engineering, Goto also sought ways to make his home completely self-sufficient. He installed a rooftop solar array to the detached garage, as well as abattery pack, on-demand hot water and in-floor radiant heating. The off-grid property is fed with fresh water from an on-site spring.

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Project Credits:

Architect of Record: IwamotoScott Architecture (@iwamotoscott)

Builder/General Contractor: Centric General Contractors

Structural Engineer: Tony Samra, TSA

Civil Engineer: Applied Civil Engineering

Landscape Design: Surfacedesign, Inc.

Cabinetry: Trinity Engineering

Pool: Classic Pools / Val Toland

Window/ Sliding Doors: Reynaers Aluminum

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An Off-Grid Goto House Wraps Around a Jewel-Like Courtyard