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Architect Cass Calder Smith designed this weekend house (built c. 2009) for a couple with five 17-23-year-old children who wanted a place to entertain 30 family members at the holidays and up to 60 people for parties. Smith located the two-story residence on a hilly 16-acre site. Emphasis was placed on admitting ample sun, as the couple did not get a lot of this in their primary San Francisco residence. Smith created a main residence, bunkhouse and a "barn" to accommodate the family's needs. The residence and the bunkhouse had a rustic farm house-like exterior recalling work by William Turnbull and Fernau + Hartman. The barn was a pre-fab warehouse building in which surfboards and other outdoor gear could be stowed. The architect added a mezzanine to hold an ample recreation room with couches (convertible into beds) and a pool table. A contemporary article in California Home + Design listed some of the owners' inspirations for their Aptos house: "The tents at Costanoa resort in nearby Pescadero were one example, a simple red cabin outside of Stockholm where the couple had spent an idyllic weekend was another, and a house in Napa designed by Smith for friends of the couple was the final cue. It quickly became clear that Gasner and Ditzler wanted the feel of a summer camp, the look of a barn and all the comforts of home." (See "Architect Cass Calder Smith Designed the Ultimate Family Weekend Retreat Home"Accessed 01/21/2011.)

PCAD id: 16074