At Rau Haus, a 6.24kW PV array provides the home with 9,777 kWh of renewable energy a year, and two Heliodyne solar panels serve a 119-gallon storage tank. The home is equipped with all electric indoor appliances and an electric heat-pump HVAC system
Backed by the dramatic landscapes of California’s scenic Portola Valley, the Westridge house embraces its natural setting with an elevated take on the rural vernacular.
The name Tierwelthaus, or ‘Wildlife House’ evolved from the unique relationship between the home and the land. A heavily used deer trail passes into the canyon to the north and a screech owl who had taken up quarters within the structure during construction now frequents the property.
The design team for The Meadow Home was inspired by prominent views and beautiful slopes to build a structure on to the landscape to minimize its massing on the originally undeveloped site.
