PINS SUR MER

Frank Lloyd Wright believed the proper place to build a house was on the brow of a hill rather than on top of it. That way, the occupants would enjoy the view, but landscape would remain dominant and undefiled. In one sense, Pins Sur Mer by Obie Bowman, overlooking Schooner Gulch and Bowling Ball Beach in Point Arena, California, violates Wright's dictum; it stands on the top of a bluff above the Pacific. But Pins Sur Mer—roughly, Pines on the Sea—actually is more reticent than some of Wright's designs. Though the house occupies a fantastic setting, the dwelling hunkers down in a stand of evergreens, almost completely hidden. This is a masterly example of the art of staying in the background and letting nature remain the primary attraction.
The house form itself epitomizes calm. The gently pitched hip roof makes a soothing presence, deferring to the drama of nature's spectacle. The roof hovers above walls of glass, which maximize the occupants' enjoyment of the stunning locale.

Despite the avoidance of flamboyance on the exterior, the house is full of feeling within. Great tree trunks rise in its center. Their heft and their placement at the core of the home make it seem that the house is not just in harmony with nature; it worships nature. The tree columns are so majestic, they could be the supports of a rustic temple. The extensive use of Douglas fir amplifies the sense that the house is both of nature and in nature.