California Wine Country is a special place. For generations, people have worked the land, taking and giving back, maintaining a natural balance that has lasted for centuries. So when we decided to build River Vine, it was important that the house fit the setting, enriching the natural beauty that was already there. We wanted to preserve the balance, honoring the rustic simplicity of the past while building a modern, energy-independent home that uses the power of the sun and earth to capture the possibilities of the future.
House and land. Sun and earth. People and the planet. It’s all connected.
AMS has always believed in a holistic approach to building, thoughtfully designing our buildings to connect people and the environment with care and respect for their mutual well-being. Instead of looking at a building as a combination of separate components, we view it as an interdependent system designed to work in harmony with its surroundings. By optimizing the synergies between site, structure, systems, materials and assemblies, we can create a building that performs at a higher level, while costing less to operate and maintain.
River Vine embodies this whole building philosophy, creatively integrating a combination of elements that work efficiently together to produce a durable, non-combustible structure that will withstand the test of time and the elements.
We’ll start with materials that help us build more responsibly, reducing our consumption of raw resources and eliminating waste. Our structural steel frame is recyclable at the end of its extended life cycle. The rockwool insulation is a unique combination of stone and recycled slag – a by-product of steel production that would otherwise pile up in landfills. All materials are environmentally-friendly, either reclaimed or containing high-recycled content.
We’ll install xeriscaping around River Vine, using drought-tolerant vegetation that requires very little potable water throughout the year. We’ll strategically place exterior tiles that are permeable and constructed from deconstructed granite to reduce water runoff.
We’ll combine different renewable energy technologies to power River Vine. We’ll collect solar energy from the sun above and geothermal energy from the ground below to heat, cool and provide electricity for use in the residence and in the vineyards.
We’ll layer both natural and electrical lighting to keep River Vine bright and comfortable. Skylights and walls of windows will connect the house to the vineyards and let in sunlight that reduces the need for electricity. Smart LED lighting will turn off automatically when unneeded, helping us remain grid-neutral.
And when everything’s in place, we’ll connect it all—every renewable energy system, every appliance, every lighting fixture, every electronic device and every motorized window treatment—from a single touchpoint. Independent systems will become interdependent, making the whole building more efficient.
A whole building that’s greater than the sum of its parts: that’s more than just our philosophy; it’s our way of building the future.
