London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Sep 03, 2025

This Elegant Californian Prefab Minimizes Site Disturbance

This Elegant Californian Prefab Minimizes Site Disturbance

Thanks to its modular construction, a modern retreat treads lightly on the pristine landscape.

When Clive McCarthy and his wife, Tricia Bell, were on the hunt for an escape from San Francisco, they found the perfect spot for their second home three hours north of the Bay Area on a 64-acre site in Willits.

With an elevation of 2,300 feet and dramatic valley views, the landscape was primed for a dramatically different style of housing from the couple’s main residence-a renovated industrial space in the Mission District.



"In contrast to their introverted loft, High Horse Ranch was designed to be outwardly focused and defined by the site, its views, and the natural landscape," says KieranTimberlake.

Minimizing site disturbance was a priority, and so the duo tapped KieranTimberlake to design their retreat-which they would soon call High Horse Ranch-after learning about the Philadelphia–based firm’s work with prefabricated housing.



The property offers 64 acres of varied terrain, including an open meadow, manzanita thickets, and forests full of oak, madrone, Douglas fir, and ponderosa pine.

Using off-site modular construction to minimize waste and ensure precision, the architects crafted a 2,580-square-foot main house with two secluded 290-square-foot guest cabins.



All three flat-roofed buildings are clad in weathering steel expanded metal rainscreens, while floor-to-ceiling operable glass walls bring the outdoors in.

"The owners were struck by the dramatic experience of approach and arrival, where the edge of a cliff falls away and reveals a panoramic view of the forested valley below," explains KieranTimberlake of the couple's desire to recreate the initial discovery experience.



The main house comprises two primary and 11 secondary modules organized into two offset bars. One volume houses the great room that is oriented for views of the valley, while the master bedroom and study located in the other volume face northern views of the canyon.



A spectacular southeast-facing view greets guests in the great room. Full-height Fleetwood glazed doors pivot open to connect the living spaces with nature outside.

"Accordingly, the design was driven by their early vision of the guest experience: a long, climbing drive; a short, shaded walk to a sheltered welcoming area; and then, upon entering the house and rounding a corner, taking in the view."



The locations of each structure were carefully staked out early on in the process and chosen for optimal views and minimal site impact.



A glimpse through the main house from the living area to the study area beyond.



Reclaimed Douglas fir lines the 11-foot-tall ceilings, while stone-tiled floors with built-in radiant heating are located underfoot.



The buildings have been constructed with glulam columns and beams.



The master bedroom is enclosed in glass, and connects to the outdoors via massive pivot doors.



Each cabin was assembled from single, mostly completed modules craned into place and raised atop concrete piers. The cabins include a bedroom and bathroom, a study desk, a covered porch and a fire pit.



The flat roof features deep overhangs to shield the interior from solar heat gain.



In the guest cabin, a sliding wall of glass opens the bedroom up to views of the forest.



"The factory-built modules were carefully transported up winding roads and set in place without harming a single tree," adds the firm.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Google Avoids Break-Up in U.S. Antitrust Case as Stocks Rise
Couple celebrates 80th wedding anniversary at assisted living facility in Lancaster
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
The White House on LinkedIn Has Changed Their Profile Picture to Donald Trump
"Insulted the Prophet Muhammad": Woman Burned Alive by Angry Mob in Niger State, Nigeria
Trump Responds to Death Rumors – Announces 'Missile City'
Court of Appeal Allows Asylum Seekers to Remain at Essex Hotel Amid Local Tax Boycott Threats
Germany in Turmoil: Ukrainian Teenage Girl Pushed to Death by Illegal Iraqi Migrant
United Krack down on human rights: Graham Linehan Arrested at Heathrow Over Three X Posts, Hospitalised, Released on Bail with Posting Ban
Asian and Middle Eastern Investors Avoid US Markets
Ray Dalio Warns of US Shift to Autocracy
Eurozone Inflation Rises to 2.1% in August
Russia and China Sign New Gas Pipeline Deal
China's Robotics Industry Fuels Export Surge
Suntory Chairman Resigns After Police Probe
Gold Price Hits New All-Time Record
Von der Leyen's Plane Hit by Suspected Russian GPS Interference in an Incident Believed to Be Caused by Russia or by Pro-Peace or by Anti-Corruption European Activists
UK Fintechs Explore Buying US Banks
Greece Suspends 5% of Schools as Birth Rate Drops
Apollo to Launch $5 Billion Sports Investment Vehicle
Bolsonaro Trial Nears Close Amid US-Brazil Tension
European Banks Push for Lower Cross-Border Barriers
Poland's Offshore Wind Sector Attracts Investors
Nvidia Reveals: Two Mystery Customers Account for About 40% of Revenue
Woody Allen: "I Would Be Happy to Direct Trump Again in a Film"
Pickles are the latest craze among Generation Z in the United States.
Deadline Day Delivers Record £125m Isak Move and Donnarumma to City
Nestlé Removes CEO Laurent Freixe Following Undisclosed Relationship with Subordinate
Giuliani Seriously Injured in Accident – Trump to Award Him the Presidential Medal of Freedom
EU is getting aggressive: Four AfD Candidates Die Unexpectedly Ahead of North Rhine-Westphalia Local Elections
Lula and Putin Hold Strategic BRICS Discussions Ahead of Trump–Putin Summit
WhatsApp is rolling out a feature that looks a lot like Telegram.
Investigations Reveal Rise in ‘Sex-for-Rent’ Listings Across Canada Exploiting Vulnerable Tenants
Chinese and Indian Leaders Pursue Amity Amid Global Shifts
European Union Plans for Ukraine Deployment
ECB Warns Against Inflation Complacency
Concerns Over North Cyprus Casino Development
Shipping Companies Look Beyond Chinese Finance
Rural Exodus Fueling European Wildfires
China Hosts Major Security Meeting
Chinese Police Successfully Recover Family's Savings from Livestream Purchases
Germany Marks a Decade Since Migrant Wave with Divisions, Success Stories, and Political Shifts
Liverpool Defeat Arsenal 1–0 with Szoboszlai Free-Kick to Stay Top of Premier League
Prince Harry and King Charles to Meet in First Reunion After 20 Months
Chinese Stock Market Rally Fueled by Domestic Investors
Israeli Airstrike in Yemen Kills Houthi Prime Minister
Ukrainian Nationalist Politician Andriy Parubiy Assassinated in Lviv
Corporate America Cuts Middle Management as Bosses Take On Triple the Workload
Parents Sue OpenAI After Teen’s Death, Alleging ChatGPT Encouraged Suicide
Amazon Faces Lawsuit Over 'Buy' Label on Digital Streaming Content
×