High Horse Ranch

High Horse Ranch is a 2,580-square-foot main residence with two guest cabins set in the hills of Mendocino County, California. The design responds to a steep, wooded site punctuated by meadows, with a long gravel approach and striking views across a forested valley. The project brief emphasized the drama of arrival and a carefully choreographed guest experience: gradual ascent by car, a shaded footpath, and finally an interior that frames the landscape beyond a cliff’s edge. The main house is organized as two interlocking pavilions: a central living, dining, and kitchen space for gathering and a more private bedroom and study wing. The guest cabins, placed in undisturbed woodland clearings, share a material palette of reclaimed wood, cor-ten steel, and expansive glazing, while providing independent facilities and outlooks for visitors. Modular construction and off-site prefabrication were central to the project, reducing on-site impact and construction waste. Modules were craned into place on concrete piers, preserving the site’s mature trees and topography.