“A project of great restraint and ecological ambition. The achievement of off-grid water harvesting is a unique and meaningful outcome that makes this submission stand out.”
——2026 Jury Committee“A beautifully restrained and ecologically ambitious project. The off-grid water-harvesting achievement is a distinctive and meaningful accomplishment that sets this submission apart.”
——2026 Awards Jury
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Moss Rock | Ground Studio
Project statement
PROJECT STATEMENT
On a rocky ridge in Sonoma Valley, the landscape architect conceived a close dialogue between site and building, nestling the building within the rugged terrain. Created for a young family with a passion for design and ecology, the landscape design is based on a simplified architectural material language and a clear intention for sustainable living.
The integration of design spaces into the wilderness landscape defines the entire project, with a focus on restoring the site’s degraded soil profile, creating a fire-resistant understory, enhancing habitat biodiversity, growing food, generating energy and conserving water. The result is a regenerative home that prioritizes sustainable landscape connections.
Along a rocky ridge in the Sonoma Valley, the landscape architect envisioned a close dialogue between site and buildings that nestle within the rugged terrain. Crafted for a young family with a passion for design and ecology, the landscape design was informed by simplified architectural materiality and a clear intent for sustainable living.
The integration of designed spaces within a wild landscape defines the project, with a focus on restoring the site’s degraded soil profile, creating a fire-resilient understory, increasing habitat biodiversity, cultivating food, generating energy, and conserving water. The result is a regenerative homestead that prioritizes perpetual connection to the landscape.
▲Mossy Stone Residence Site Plan | The understory vegetation blends into the forest, embedding the building into the woodland, and supporting the owner’s focus on leisure and production. MOSS ROCK SITE PLAN | Understory planting integrates into the forest, slotting the building within the woodland & supports the clients’ focus on recreation and production. © Kyle Lambdin
Project Description
PROJECT NARRATIVE
After finding this site in Sonoma County, our owners—a young family with a deep connection to the Northern California landscape—were immediately attracted. However, the venue did not live up to its potential. The once-inhabited site was incongruous with its surroundings and overrun with exotic plants and invasive weeds.
To understand the site and define its vision of opportunity, the landscape architects conducted an extensive analysis of the property and surrounding area. The new structure consists of two volumes arranged along a rocky ridge. The slopes on both sides exceed 50% and extend downward to the valley bottom. Woodland dominates the site. Grasses and herbaceous plants flourish beneath the gaps in the forest canopy.
Based on this background, the landscape architect set out to reveal the most essential components of the site. Invasive exotic plants, over-irrigation and hardscape were removed to reveal the character of the land. The family’s desire to live simply within the environment led to a careful ecological restoration and a reimagining of outdoor living – deeply rooted in a sense of place.
After arriving at the permeable driveway courtyard paved with local Sonoma gravel, visitors walk through the staggered walls, go up the stairs, and arrive at a courtyard with a wild character but a simple plant vocabulary. Cut stone paving cuts through gravel and planting areas; locally sourced boulders provide moments of rest and play. A central terrace projects into the woodland, overlooking the valley below. Beyond, the pool connects the restraint of the courtyard with the diversity of native meadows.
Where steep ridges emerge, the intervention turns to gentle guidance of regenerative cycles. To continually recreate the native soil profile, oak leaves were collected from fire-prone areas and redistributed throughout the site as mulch. Native Madrona, Toyan, Coffeeberry and Coast Oak were planted into the existing woodland matrix to establish the next generation of trees and shrubs. Irrigation was removed from the area, restoring the ecosystem’s seasonal rhythms.
Like many areas in the West, the property is at risk from wildfires and maintaining defensible space is critical. The area immediately adjacent to the residence is planted with minimal, evergreen and irrigated vegetation to form a fire-resistant buffer zone. In the courtyard, the canopy is widely spaced and plants chosen to be kept low to reduce step fuel. In woodlands, overgrown shrubs are thinned and dead trees removed. All of these interventions are integral to supporting an overall vision of sustainable homes at the wilderness-urban interface.
The family grows fresh, organic food year-round. The landscape architect worked closely with them to select a mix of annual and perennial species that wax and wane with the seasons and designed a three-tier system for composting biomass from the garden and nearby chicken coop. Edible pollinator plants support an apiary on the site.
The landscape and home are self-sufficient and run off the grid. Electricity needs are met by a solar array in a restored native meadow that also infiltrates driveway runoff. All daily water needs of the project are met by rainwater collected on the site – this is achieved by limiting landscape water use to 29% of the state quota and irrigating only 37% of the planted area.
The result of a collaborative effort between the family and the design team is a vibrant home teeming with life—human and wild alike.
▲Rewilding | Using fallen leaf mulch and seeds to restore the texture of the forest floor, return nutrients to poor soil and reintroduce water, vegetation and habitat. REWILDING | Rejuvenating the forest floor with leaf litter mulch and seeds gives nutrients back to depleted soil, reintroducing water, vegetation, and habitat. © Jason Liske
▲Among the woods | The circulation line passes through the lower meadow under the oak forest, and the existing tree canopy frames the connection between the owner and the land. WITHIN THE GROVE | Circulation floats in and out of understory meadows beneath the oak groves, with existing canopies framing the clients’ connection to land. © Jason Liske
▲Between Woodlands | Patches of bearberry, madrona and maple trees extend the forest type into the garden. BETWEEN THE WOODLAND | Pockets of Arctostaphylos, Arbutus, and Acers extend the forest typology into the gardens. © Jason Liske
▲Cantilevered between trees | The building cantilevers over the restored lower slope. Even indoors, the owners remain immersed in the site (left); boulders double function | Boulders placed throughout the site provide sculptural moments while doubling as natural play structures for the next generation of nature lovers (right). CANTILEVER AMONG TREES | The architecture cantilevers over restored understory slopes. Even inside, the client is constantly immersed in the site (left); BOULDERS DOUBLE | Boulders situated throughout the site provide sculptural moments that double as natural play for the next generation of nature lovers (right). © Jason Liske
▲Feel the place | The owners’ deep connection to the land is reflected in their ink drawings and bottles of fresh chamomile from raised garden beds. FEELING PLACE | The client’s deep connection to the land is evident through their ink depictions and fresh chamomile in vases from the raised garden beds. © Jason Liske
▲Carved Water Feature | A hand-carved local boulder serves as a water feature, providing a naturalistic refuge and an excellent location for bird watching (left); Detailed Materials | The material vocabulary is composed through carefully crafted details to increase permeability and water infiltration (right). CARVED WATER FEATURE | A hand-carved local boulder as a water feature provides a naturalist refuge, a prime spot for bird watching (left); DETAILED MATERIALITY | The material palette was composed through well-crafted details to increase permeability and water infiltration (right). © Jason Liske
▲Water in the landscape | The dark pool bottom absorbs heat to reduce energy consumption and doubles as a firefighting reservoir. WATER IN THE LANDSCAPE | A dark bottom pool absorbs heat to reduce energy expenditure and doubles as a fire reservoir. © Jason Liske
▲Production from the land | Connected to the site’s deep history, raised flower beds are planted with a rich variety of edible species, providing fresh produce year-round. THE LAND PRODUCES | Tied to the deep history of place, raised beds planted with an extensive variety of edible species provide fresh produce year-round. © Mike Matas, Jason Liske
▲Rugged Woodland Chicken Coop | The simple architectural form connects with the rugged beauty of the landscape. Informal seating provides a sanctuary of quiet contemplation. RUGGED WOODLAND COOP | Simple architectural forms connect to the rugged beauty of the landscape. Informal seating gives a quiet reflective refuge. © Jason Liske
▲Welcome Retreat | A modest entrance courtyard provides a habitable landscape of native plants and local stone. WELCOME RESPITE | A humble entrance courtyard provides a livable landscape of native plantings and local stone. © Jason Liske
▲A landscape for everyone | A place for all generations to enjoy. LANDSCAPE FOR ALL | A place for all generations to enjoy. © Jason Liske
▲Between cascades | Looking out, water cascades between meadows and woodlands, reflecting the tree crowns. LAYERED BETWEEN | Looking outward, the water layered between the meadow and woodland reflects the canopy. © Jason Liske
▲View | Comfortable spaces provide places for casual outdoor living and connect the building to the expansive valley views. VIEWS | Comfortable spaces give room for casual outdoor living and link the architecture to expansive views of the valley. © Jason Liske
PROJECT NARRATIVE
Immediately upon finding a property in Sonoma County, our clients – a young family with a deep connection to the Northern California landscape – were hooked. The site, however, wasn’t fulfilling its potential. The previously inhabited site felt incongruous with its surroundings and was inundated with exotic plants and invasive weeds.
To understand the site and establish a clear vision of its opportunities, the landscape architect conducted an extensive analysis of the property and surrounding region. The new structures consist of two volumes along a rocky ridge. On each side, slopes of greater than 50% fall to valley floors. Woodland dominates the site. Under gaps in the canopy, grasses and forbs abound.
With this context in mind, the landscape architect set about uncovering the site’s most essential components. Invasive exotic plants, excessive irrigation, and hardscape were stripped away to expose the character of the land. The family’s desire to live simply within their environment guided a careful ecological restoration and reimagining of life outdoors deeply rooted in a sense of place.
After arriving in the permeable auto court of local Sonoma gravel, visitors slip between staggered walls and climb a set of stone steps to a courtyard wild in character but with a simple palette. Cut stone pavers pass through a field of gravel and planting; locally sourced boulders offer moments of rest and play. At the center, a deck leans into the woodland and overlooks the valley below. Beyond, a pool links the restraint of the courtyard with the diversity of a native meadow.
Where steep ridges occur, interventions shift to the gentle guidance of regenerative cycles. In an ongoing effort to rebuild the native soil profile, oak leaf litter is gathered from fire-prone areas and redistributed around the site as mulch. Native madrone, toyon, coffeeberry, and live oak are planted into the existing woodland matrix, establishing the next generation of trees and shrubs. Irrigation in this area was removed, restoring the ecosystem’s seasonal rhythm.
Like much of the West, the property is at risk of wildfire, and maintaining defensible space is crucial. Immediately adjacent to the home, plantings are minimal, as well as evergreen and irrigated, creating a fire-resistant buffer. In the courtyard, tree canopies are widely spaced and plants are selected to remain low, reducing ladder fuel. In the woodland, overgrown shrubs were thinned and dead trees were removed. All of these interventions were integral in supporting the holistic vision of a sustainable homestead in the wildland-urban interface.
The family cultivates fresh, organic food year-round. The landscape architect worked closely with them to select a mix of annual and perennial species that ebb and flow with the seasons, as well as designing a three-tier system for composting biomass collected from the gardens and nearby chicken coop. Edible pollinator plants support the on-site apiary.
The landscape and house are self-sustaining and off-grid. Power needs are met by a solar array in a restored native meadow, which also infiltrates driveway runoff. All of the project’s daily water needs are met by water harvested from the site – made possible by limiting landscape use to just 29% of the state allotment and irrigating only 37% of the planted area.
The result of this collaborative effort between the family and design team is a thriving homestead that teems with life – human and wild alike.
PROJECT CREDITS
* Ground Studio — Official Entrant
* Bernard Trainor – Ground Studio, Founding Partner + Creative Director
* David LeRoy – Ground Studio, Partner + Planting Director
* Johnson Bullard – Ground Studio, Partner
* Jason Liske – Project Photographer
* Mike Matas and Sharon Hwang — Client/Owner
*Swatt | Miers Architects — Architect
* Dexter Estate Landscapes — Contractor
* BC Engineering Group — Civil Engineer
* Mindful Landscapes — Edible/permaculture team
* Blue Revolution — Pool Contractor
* JBL Construction — General Contractor
PLANT LIST
* Arbutus menziesii (Madrone)
* Arctostaphylos manzanita (Manzanita)
* Chondropetalum ‘El Campo’ (Cape Rush)
* Danthonia californica (California Oatgrass)
*Festuca californica (California Fescue)
* Festuca idahoensis (Idaho Fescue)
* Festuca rubra (Red Fescue)
* Heteromeles arbutifolia (Toyon)
* Koeleria macrantha (Junegrass)
* Nassella lepida (Foothill Needlegrass)
* Pistacia chinensis (Chinese Pistache)
* Quercus agrifolia (Coast Live Oak)
* Rhamnus californica (Coffeeberry)
More: ASLA;Ground Studio
Source: gooood.cn
