Paso Robles Residence by Aidlin Darling Design

 

 A new contemporary home overlooks an 80-acre agricultural site in California’s wine country.  The Paso Robles Residence by Aidlin Darling Design is a success in both residential design and sustainable architecture, providing a refreshing rural living experience on a flowing and dynamic plot.  The home is designed to be greater than the sum of its parts, as each element from masonry to photovoltaics to the untouched plot yield a truly special home.  Paso Robles Residence achieves this not by mistake, but by very focused and deliberate efforts by Aidlin Darling Design.

Paso Robles Residence is situated in a low-rainfall, high-temperature environment in central California.  Despite the high heat demands in the summer, where temperatures can exceed 110 degrees, this home only uses passive cooling systems to maintain a comfortable temperature.  Without an air conditioning unit, Paso Robles Residence employs the design techniques of nearby vineyard storehouses– night cooling, proper shading and building orientation in line with the path of the sun.  When the sun rises in the morning, it lights private sections of the home, then climbs skyward over the photovoltaic-lined rooftop to finally set with evening sun through the windows of the family dining room.

Thanks to these design principles, and the thermal mass of the home at large, the indoor temperature remains in a comfortable range during the hot season.  The choice to avoid central air conditioning is one of sustainable focus.  This wasn’t a casual design decision or a bonus option for the occupant, it was part of the home’s core concept.  It was designed to be a residential custodian of the plot on which it rests.  While it’s not clear if the home is truly off-grid, it is designed to produce much of its own energy and to only sip what it needs.  The goal was to leave a limited footprint, to keep the serene and picturesque rural California environment for what it is.  As a result, the contemporary lines, angels and interior character of Paso Robles Residence is a success not only in design, but in spirit.  It is a welcome retreat from a busy life in the city, a touch of modern living with its heart anchored in the land beyond.