Ricon Ranch: A Home Inspired By Its Surroundings
It’s hard to beat the rugged beauty of the California coast. With untouched rolling hills, oak groves, and pristine beaches, Hollister Ranch, located a half hour north of Santa Barbara, has been known as the “last remnant” of the old coastline. The exclusive 14,500-acre oasis is largely untouched and remains a model of environmentalism to many. With strict building rules, every structure must blend into the landscape to protect the fragile environmental surroundings.
While last year brought many challenges, we were privileged to get to work on some incredible projects. One of our most memorable experiences was partnering with RHC Construction and architect Dave Mendro on building a stunning guest house for “Ricon Ranch,” a home located in Hollister’s sprawling nature preserve.
Ricon Ranch is organic to the land, warm in character, and ultimately inspired by its delicate surroundings. As a team led by Rich and Dave, we were committed to following Hollister Ranch guidelines while creating a stunning home.
A Complex Architectural Challenge:
It’s an understatement to say this project was complex. Required to keep the main house and guest house within a two-acre boundary, protect the live specimen oak trees, ensure the structure was fire and weather resistant, blend the building into the environment, and ultimately create a home that was beautiful and inviting— we had significant challenges at hand. This provided an exciting opportunity and required a strategic plan.
To work within our various limitations, the shape of the home was specifically designed to follow the natural contours of the landscape. Not only did this allow the building to fit within the two-acre requirement set by zoning regulations, it also enabled our team to limit grading and excavation, therefore protecting the natural root system of the oak trees. Next, we built the house into the hillside to create a low profile and shelter the building from high winds. Furthermore, our use of concrete and copper, both fire-resistant construction materials, strengthened the home’s ability to withstand potential wildfires.
RUstic-MOdernism that emulates the landscape:
Not only do these construction materials protect against fire damage, they also create a rustic-modern aesthetic that mimics the property’s natural beauty. The sandstone finish of the concrete walls mirrors the sandstone of the landscape, while the stunning copper roof blends into the canopy of trees. Curving into the ridge, every element of the home works together to become second nature to the rugged landscape. In building Ricon Ranch, quality was not sacrificed and no detail was overlooked.
An Incredible Team:
We were honored to work alongside RHC Construction and Dave Mendro on this incredible project. Building strong relationships with fellow contractors and architects is one of our proudest achievements, and we look forward to working alongside them in the future.
"Matt Shaw Concrete has become an integral part of our construction team. Our projects require top-level workmanship to execute very complicated designs, and Matt Shaw Concrete continually brings this level of expertise to the table. Their site foremen are by far the best, most knowledgeable, and courteous that we have ever worked with. Through being personally involved in scheduling and overseeing work, Matt and Bob demonstrate genuine care for what they do. We sincerely value our relationship with Matt Shaw Concrete and consider them an essential member of our a-team." — Rich Coffin