Mill District is proud to have partnered with the renowned architectural firm Olson Kundig, who have undoubtedly brought their exceptional expertise to create a visually stunning new neighborhood in Healdsburg.
As our Canopy homes continue to take shape, we are reminded every day of what we like most about the team at Olson Kundig: their ability to use materials such as steel and glass to blur the line between outdoors and indoors.
Owner and Principal Kirsten Ring Murray has spoken often about her inspiration. Here’s how she explained it when she was a guest at one of our Design Dialogues.
“The first time I came here the site was still a timber mill. Hence the name, right? That gave me a whole different way of thinking about trees—a balanced, viable, necessary way to think about trees. It got me thinking about how to design with resilience and how to start to mend and correct ways of living and working and building in this environment. Then I looked at the grove of redwoods at the center of the [neighborhood]. Knowing we’d be designing something adjacent to those trees and have a direct and intimate connection to these trees was important, too.
“Everything here centers around trees. They were shape-givers to pathways and circulation. Buildings became edges to address this grove of trees. Despite remnants of the old timber mill, we really tried to focus on preservation of these trees, right in the center of this town.
“The basic design premise was to design a home that extends the qualities of Healdsburg and the center square and bring them into a pedestrian oriented neighborhood, place where each home has connection to park and to each other. We also wanted to create pervious and permeable edges where landscape and buildings interact in an active way with each other. With the trees that still stand, it’s all about the buildings fitting in.
“This also connects back to history: We intentionally set out to use wood differently. These are not wood structures. They are highly resilient steel buildings that take into consideration the challenging conditions we’re experiencing right now. Wood is used sparingly.
“Finally, we wanted to create a place that was walkable, that invited the community in. This is a place we want people to want to be.”
