Corcoran Abode
Santa Cruz, CA
Designed as a legacy home for a young couple, the Corcoran Abode is a ground-up construction engineered to outlast its inhabitants. Anticipating the shifting needs of a lifetime, the floor plan prioritizes inherent flexibility and integrates universal design principles to ensure graceful aging-in-place.
Aesthetically, the home bridges regional histories. It draws foundational cues from the traditional Monterey Colonial style, while weaving in rugged elements of the coastal vernacular that echo the materiality and forms of the local wharfs and harbors. The exterior palette—a combination of integral color plaster and unfinished cedar allowed to age gracefully—tells the visual story of the harsh coastal environment while remaining robust enough to endure it.
The envelope utilizes Structurally Insulated Panels (SIPs)—a highly efficient modular assembly of oriented strand board and a solid polystyrene core. By specifying robust 10-inch thick wall and roof assemblies, the design drastically reduces traditional timber framing, virtually eliminating thermal bridging and achieving insulation values that far exceed code minimums.
