Lichen House
Glen Ellen, California
The Lichen House nestles within the fog and oaks in the hills above California's Sonoma Valley. The free-ranging branches of the site's mature live and coastal oak trees support veils of draping Ramalina Lichen that filter sunlight , capture moisture and nutrients for their hosts, and remove pollutants from the air through photosynthesis. A hypersensitive organism, lichen retreats or dies in adverse or contaminated environments but quickly expands its net with conditions advantageous for growth. It is a bellwether for the environmental health of this unique microclimate.
By: Schwartz and Architecture| Project Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Architecture: | S^A | Schwartz and Architecture |
| Photography: | Richard Barnes |
| Structural Engineering: | iAssociates inc. |
| Construction: | Eames Construction |
| Year of Completion: | 2017 |
| Project Area: | 3486 square feet |
| Awards: | |
| 2018: | The Chicago Athenaeum - American Architecture |
| Articles: | |
| December, 2017: | Arch Daily |
| January, 2018: | Surface |
| December, 2017: | Contemporist |
| April, 2018: | World Architects |
| February, 2018: | Dezeen |
| November, 2017: | Wallpaper* |
