- Project: Moose Road
- Architect: Mork Ulnes Architects
- Location: United States, Ukiah, California
- Year: 2016
- Area: 106 m2
- Photography: Bruce Damonte
A Modest Home with Monumental Views
Nestled in the rolling hills of Ukiah Valley, California, Moose Road by Mork-Ulnes Architects is a modest yet poetic dwelling that exemplifies simplicity, sustainability, and a deep respect for the land. Designed and built on a limited budget, the 1,140-square-foot home achieves remarkable architectural presence through precision, restraint, and environmental sensitivity.
Suspended lightly above the ground on steel stilts, the house overlooks a dramatic panorama of vineyards, oak groves, and mountain ridges—a landscape that becomes both its inspiration and its canvas.
Context & Design Intent
The design is shaped by a desire to connect with the site’s most striking features: three locally known landmarks—Eagle Rock, the mountain ridge, and the valley of vineyards below. The architects’ challenge was to frame each of these vistas while preserving every existing oak tree on the site.
The resulting plan consists of three narrow “fingers” extending from a central core, each precisely oriented toward one of the distinct views. These slender wings weave through the trees with minimal disturbance to the natural terrain, transforming the act of viewing into an architectural experience.
Site Sensitivity & Construction Strategy
To preserve the fragile ecosystem of the oak forest, Moose Road was built on steel stilts, eliminating the need for excavation and protecting the tree roots beneath. This elevated structure not only minimizes the home’s footprint but also allows wind, water, and wildlife to move freely beneath it—an elegant gesture of coexistence.
The building’s low-cost, sustainable strategy extends to its materials. The entire structure was built using standard-sized, off-the-shelf sheet goods—unfinished plywood and oriented strand board (OSB)—chosen to minimize waste and labor.
Despite its modest budget—under $190 per square foot—the house achieves a refined simplicity, demonstrating that thoughtful design can transcend financial limits.
Material Expression & Structural Logic
The design emphasizes raw honesty and modular rhythm. Inside, exposed plywood surfaces and OSB panels maintain an unfinished yet cohesive aesthetic, celebrating the inherent texture of the materials. The structure’s visible steel frame underscores the home’s lightness, while its elevated stance creates a sense of weightless stability above the hillside.
Large windows and sliding doors punctuate the walls, carefully positioned to capture the three framed vistas and bathe interiors in natural light. The house’s orientation promotes cross-ventilation, reducing the need for mechanical systems and reinforcing its ecological awareness.
Interior Atmosphere
Internally, the dwelling’s simplicity reflects both economy and intention. The open living spaces merge seamlessly with the surrounding landscape, offering a sequence of framed perspectives that shift with the light and seasons. The material palette—unpainted wood, exposed steel, and glass—imbues the home with a humble yet timeless clarity.
Each of the three wings functions with independence: one for living and dining, one for sleeping, and one for guests or work, creating a balanced dialogue between privacy and openness.
Architecture as Environmental Stewardship
Moose Road stands as a compelling model for low-impact rural housing—a home that demonstrates how architecture can both inhabit and protect the land. Its small footprint, efficient use of materials, and contextual sensitivity embody a broader ethos of environmental responsibility and design integrity.
Rather than imposing itself on the site, the house appears to hover gently within it, allowing nature to remain the dominant force.
With Moose Road, Mork-Ulnes Architects transforms constraint into creativity. Through its stilted structure, precise orientation, and economical construction, the project achieves a rare balance of frugality, elegance, and environmental empathy.
More than a residence, it is an architectural meditation on how modest design gestures—executed thoughtfully—can yield profound spatial and emotional resonance.
