Tea Houses

Tea Houses is a trio of small retreat structures located in the hills of Silicon Valley, California. Conceived after the owner and his daughter identified a quiet clearing beneath mature Californian Live Oaks, the brief called for spaces of retreat closely integrated with their natural surroundings. The three pavilions each serve a distinct function: meditation, sleeping, and creative thinking, responding to the desire for both solitude and immersion in nature. The design employs transparent steel and glass volumes that rest lightly on the terrain, intended to evoke lanterns in the landscape. Each pavilion is anchored by a cast-in-place concrete core, which supports steel channel rim joists cantilevered to carry both floor and roof. This strategy limits physical disturbance to the site, minimizing grading work and preserving the root zone of the surrounding trees. The structures’ minimal footprints and elevated forms address both environmental concerns and the client’s wish for retreat spaces seamlessly integrated with the landscape.

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