- Project: Sawmill Retreat
- Architect: Olson Kundig Architects
- Location: United States, Tehachapi, California
- Year: 2014
- Area: 388 m2
A Net-Zero Sanctuary Rooted in the Desert Landscape
Perched in the Tehachapi Mountains of California, the Sawmill Retreat by Olson Kundig Architects is a testament to how environmental sensitivity and architectural integrity can coexist. Designed as a self-sufficient family getaway, the 4,170-square-foot home is completely off the grid, responding to the region’s extreme climate with resilient materials, reclaimed resources, and high-performance design.
Set on a remote site historically used for mining and logging, the retreat reclaims the land’s past through a sustainable architectural vision that gives back to the environment, rather than extracting from it.
Architecture as Campfire: A Hearth-Centric Layout
Inspired by the concept of tents gathered around a campfire, the layout of Sawmill Retreat consists of three wings radiating from a central hearth. This main living space serves as the social heart of the home, featuring a dramatic 12-by-26-foot retractable window wall that, when opened via a hand-turned wheel, blurs the boundary between interior and exterior and transforms the adjacent patio into a fourth “tent.”
This hearth-centered plan promotes connection between family members while emphasizing the building’s relationship with the rugged desert surroundings.
Durable Design for Harsh Conditions
Sawmill was built for resilience. The fire-prone summers and freezing winters of the high desert called for a palette of durable, low-maintenance materials. Olson Kundig employed a “scavenger” design approach, utilizing salvaged wood, recycled steel, and other reclaimed components to reduce environmental impact and create a home with a raw, grounded aesthetic.
The result is a structure that feels both fortified and respectful—tough enough to withstand nature’s extremes, yet gentle in its ecological footprint.
Sustainability as a Design Ethic
More than a design choice, sustainability is embedded in the DNA of Sawmill Retreat. The home achieves net-zero energy consumption through:
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Off-grid solar power systems
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Energy-efficient heating and cooling
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Minimally invasive site strategies to preserve native vegetation
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Local and reclaimed building materials to reduce embodied carbon
From its recyclable materials to its passive solar orientation, Sawmill exemplifies Olson Kundig’s belief in design as an ethical act—a responsibility to both people and planet.
A Modern Homestead That Honors Its Past
The name “Sawmill” honors the site’s history of ranching, logging, and mining, while the architecture reflects a new era of stewardship. The homeowners sought not only a retreat, but a legacy structure that restores rather than exploits—an architectural gesture of gratitude toward the land.
Sawmill Retreat stands as a powerful example of architecture that connects people to place, proving that high design and high performance are not mutually exclusive, but profoundly interdependent.
