{"id":232,"date":"2026-01-14T13:07:21","date_gmt":"2026-01-14T13:07:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sandrafoo.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/14\/amnesia-house-garde-hvalsoe-crafts-a-fire-resistant-retreat-in-californias-napa-valley\/"},"modified":"2026-01-14T13:07:21","modified_gmt":"2026-01-14T13:07:21","slug":"amnesia-house-garde-hvalsoe-crafts-a-fire-resistant-retreat-in-californias-napa-valley","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/sandrafoo.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/14\/amnesia-house-garde-hvalsoe-crafts-a-fire-resistant-retreat-in-californias-napa-valley\/","title":{"rendered":"amnesia house: garde hvals\u00f8e crafts a fire-resistant retreat in california\u2019s napa valley"},"content":{"rendered":"

a home lightly scattered across a sensitive landscape<\/h2>\n

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Garde Hvals\u00f8e partners with Edmonds + Lee Architects to dot a 19-acre swath of California<\/strong><\/a>\u2019s Napa Valley with this single-story Amnesia House. Conceived as a rural counterpart to the clients\u2019 San Francisco home, the project occupies a narrow ledge within a rugged landscape shaped by steep slopes and under the constant risk of wildfires.<\/p>\n

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The house<\/strong><\/a> reads as a low, horizontal presence aligned east to west. Two parallel gabled volumes sit lightly on the site, joined by a fully glazed vestibule that frames views across the valley. Large openings on both facades draw daylight deep into the plan, while deep roof overhangs and operable louvres temper sun and shade through the day.<\/p>\n

\"amnesia
images \u00a9 Joe Fletcher<\/a><\/p>\n

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Garde Hvals\u00f8e’s collaboration with\u00a0Edmonds + Lee Architects<\/h2>\n

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Before this collaboration with Danish company<\/strong><\/a> Garde Hvals\u00f8e, the team<\/strong><\/a> at Edmonds + Lee Architects had previously worked with the owners on an urban residence in San Francisco. Here, the architectural approach shifts toward openness and repose. The plan spreads laterally, encouraging movement between interior rooms, terraces, and the pool without hierarchy. The entrance sequence reverses expectations, guiding visitors past the water toward the living spaces.<\/p>\n

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Site placement follows the terrain rather than reshaping it. Limited access and steep topography informed a careful siting strategy that preserves existing drainage patterns and vegetation. By settling the structure onto a narrow shelf, the design maintains geological features while meeting slope restrictions. This way, the landscape remains visually continuous around the building.<\/p>\n

\"amnesia
Amnesia House sits lightly on a narrow ledge in Napa Valley<\/p>\n

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Inside the Amnesia House<\/h2>\n

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Garde Hvals\u00f8e\u2019s contribution to the Amnesia House centers on oak millwork that runs through bedrooms, office spaces, closets, and shared rooms. The cabinetry establishes a consistent tactile presence, balancing precision with warmth. Bespoke bunk beds and storage elements developed by the company\u2019s Atelier extend this approach into custom furniture scaled to the rooms.<\/p>\n

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The kitchen draws from the Danish company’s Solid model, paired with bathroom furniture in the same material language. Terrazzo-ground concrete floors continue from interior to exterior, reinforcing a sense of continuity. The subdued palette allows light, shadow, and seasonal change to guide the atmosphere rather than surface contrast.<\/p>\n

\"amnesia
the residence is composed of two parallel gabled volumes<\/p>\n

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Environmental strategies for resilience<\/h2>\n

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Wildfire considerations shaped decisions from form to material selection. Steel cladding wraps the exterior, offering inherent fire resistance while expressing a restrained agricultural character. The weathering surface closes gaps that could admit embers, and the roof remains largely uninterrupted, reducing vulnerable points along the envelope.<\/p>\n

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An exterior fire sprinkler system further supports long-term resilience. These measures reflect an ethical stance toward durability and stewardship, prioritizing safety and reduced material replacement over time while maintaining architectural restraint.<\/p>\n

\"amnesia
a glazed connector frames long views across the valley<\/p>\n

\"amnesia
deep roof overhangs regulate sun and shade throughout the day<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

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\"garde-hvals\u00f8e-edmonds-lee-architects-amnesia-house-california-designboom-08a\" <\/p>\n
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concrete terrazzo floors link interior and exterior spaces<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

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\"amnesia
steel cladding supports fire resistance and material restraint<\/p>\n

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\"garde-hvals\u00f8e-edmonds-lee-architects-amnesia-house-california-designboom-06a\" <\/p>\n
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oak millwork by Garde Hvals\u00f8e defines the interior atmosphere<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

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project info:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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name:\u00a0<\/strong>Amnesia House<\/p>\n

architects: <\/strong>Edmonds + Lee Architects<\/a> | @edmondsleearchitects<\/a><\/p>\n

location:\u00a0<\/strong>Napa Valley, California, USA<\/p>\n

builder:<\/strong> Garde Hvals\u00f8e<\/a> | @gardehvalsoe<\/a><\/p>\n

photography:\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a9 Joe Fletcher<\/a> | @joefletcherphoto<\/a><\/p>\n

The post amnesia house: garde hvals\u00f8e crafts a fire-resistant retreat in california’s napa valley<\/a> appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

edmonds + lee architects and garde hvals\u00f8e design the residence as a pair of gabled volumes wrapped in fire-resistant steel cladding.
\nThe post amnesia house: garde hvals\u00f8e crafts a fire-resistant re<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[6],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/sandrafoo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/232"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/sandrafoo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/sandrafoo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/sandrafoo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=232"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/sandrafoo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/232\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/sandrafoo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=232"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/sandrafoo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=232"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/sandrafoo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=232"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}