| 2023.12 |
ANACAPA Wins Again!
Last Thursday we were fortunate to win two of the eight awards at the AIASB Design Awards. Many thanks to our hard-working team and the jurors for selecting our projects.
Honorable Mention | Valley House | Unbuilt
Conceptualized as a contemporary ruin, a series of earthen walls serve as the primary organizational element and a means of creating a sense of solidity and rootedness to the physical site. Spread over two acres, these rectilinear walls stand as powerful, grounding elements that create a sense of connectivity between the four independent structures that comprise the property. Crafted from rammed earth, they anchor the building to the site, instilling the project with a profound sense of rootedness and belonging. This connection to the land bestows the architecture an effortless sense of belonging and a timeless quality.
Inside these monumental walls, the interior spaces serve as a calming sanctuary, reconnecting the occupant with nature, light, and shadow to break from the frenetic pace of daily life. Delicate roofs are elegantly inserted between the parallel walls, providing shelter while allowing nature to seep in. The roofs, interior wooden walls, and delicately crafted screening elements counterbalance the mass of the rammed earth walls. They bring the scale down to a more human level, creating functional spaces that exude a sense of subtle drama as the day unfolds.
Marrying the strength of earthen walls and the rugged beauty of local stone with the site’s wild landscape, the project is a testament to the harmonizing of elements. The organic and rectilinear act as compliments to one another as this contemporary ruin ensures its place in time. Offering a sense of belonging and warmth through its carefully crafted interior and robust exterior.
Honor | DRIFT Santa Barbara | Historic Restoration
The hotel’s guest experience draws upon DRIFT’s roots in Mexico, its environment, and the Spanish-style community of Santa Barbara. Most recently, the space served as the home of the Church of Scientology for the last decade, an establishment known by the community but only from outside the walls.
Through impactful and intentional design decisions, the team brought modern life to a building inaccessible to most of the community for so long, bringing fresh air to downtown and catering to all. The hotel’s food and beverage amenities, DAWN & DUSK incorporate raw materials such as concrete and steel and a beautiful juxtaposition of the new modern interiors and protected Mediterranean exteriors.
Jessi Finicum-Schwarz and Lila Boyce are seen receiving the Honor Award for DRIFT Santa Barbara on behalf of ANACAPA. We want to extend our gratitude to the entire project team and collaborators.
Jessi, one of our Partners and Senior Project Architect at Anacapa, brings nearly 20 years of architectural design experience. Her skills in management, design, and technical planning are exceptional, contributing significantly to all project phases, especially in team coordination and creative problem-solving. Lila, our Senior Interior Designer and Project Manager has a background in architectural design for hospitality and high-end residential projects, her meticulous attention to detail and driven nature stand out in her work.
ANACAPA Hosts AIASB Emerging Professionals Event
The AIA Design Crawl for Emerging Professionals provides a platform for recent graduates and new architects to network with established firms and professionals. This event offers office tours and lectures, enabling participants to gain insights into architectural practices and industry trends. Local professionals joined us for hors d'oeuvres and mingling for a few hours, leading to diverse conversations and connections. During the latter half, Dan Weber (Principal) and Tony Schonhardt (Director of Design) gave a talk describing our working processes and an inside look at our design methodologies.
Additionally, the AIA California highlights the role of emerging professionals in shaping the organization, emphasizing their contributions to evolving the profession, advancing architectural practice, and addressing the challenges in the built environment. The AIA's focus on supporting these professionals, particularly through events like the Design Crawl, demonstrates a commitment to nurturing the next generation of architects. This support includes helping them navigate the path to licensure and offering resources for professional development.
We are honored to have been able to help give back to the local architecture community and to help grow the local AIA chapter. We recognize and want to thank the entire AIASB team, commending them on their hard work to gain more visibility.
ANACAPA Designs for Local Non-Profit
We worked with EDC and Riskin on a proposal for a single-family residence with a focus on community connection and environmental awareness.
Nestled atop a serene knoll, our architectural vision departs from the conventional pursuit of distant vistas. Instead, we endeavor to craft a dwelling that cherishes the essence of an internal sanctuary, where both tranquility and lively gatherings find their place.
At the heart of this dwelling, a central courtyard, resplendent with spa-like retreat spaces, beckons residents to unwind, forging an intimate connection with nature. Here, one can escape into the verdant embrace of their surroundings, a haven of reprieve.
Venturing below to the guest entry, a curated garden awaits, bathed in the gentle caress of natural light. The abundance of vegetation in this space brings a fresh breath of life indoors, blurring the boundaries between exterior and interior. In a striking contrast to the primary residence, the rear of the property unfolds with an array of inviting features. Guest quarters beckon visitors, while an equestrian stable stands as a testament to grandeur. These elements coalesce to create an ideal setting for convivial entertaining, underpinned by breathtaking views that stretch to the Santa Barbara mountains, invoking a sense of wonder and delight in all who enter. This dwelling serves not only as a sanctuary of inner peace but also as a stage for vibrant gatherings, where every corner unveils new perspectives and promises unforgettable moments.
