An expressive approach defines Mourning Dovecote’s chapel-like flowing extension

An expressive structure with a dramatic sweeping tower soars over the skyline in Sonoma, California. The Mourning Dovecote, a 36 sqm studio extension to architect Neal Schwartz’s existing Sonoma home, was originally designed as a weekend retreat. The completion of the project, which coincided with the pandemic, led to the place doubling down as the architect’s home office and sanctuary over the past two years.

Taking inspiration from the natural environment surrounding the site, which exhibits an abundance of Mourning Doves, the form for the extension of the residential architecture wasn't limited to being a mere visual or spatial stimulant for the user. The architect researched the most advantageous height, orientation, proportion and ventilation to encourage nesting doves, thus defining the design process. The Mourning Dove is among the most common American birds, raising up to six broods a year with both sexes taking turns incubating. They are monogamous, with the male incubating and caring for the young from morning to afternoon while the female takes over for the rest of the day and night.

The exterior facade of the extension is angled outwards, with twelve nesting boxes built into it, encouraging the bird’s co-habitation of the space, similar to the more traditional dovecote structure. Often built at the ends of houses or barns, and sometimes freestanding, a traditional ‘dovecote’ houses pigeons and doves, containing pigeonholes for the birds. This architectural element holds historical significance, reflecting on the relationship between humans and doves, and is traditionally found in the Middle East and Europe.

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The original structure christened ‘Hydeaway House,’ is a low-slung, two-bedroom, and two-bath structure with an L-shaped layout—the central junction of which the extension was created, and which can be accessed from the living area. The extension deviates considerably in its form in comparison to the original house—being more sculptural. In a conversation with AIA San Francisco, Schwartz mentioned how his studio works with the distinct qualities of each project, analysing the challenges to build context-specific design. Correspondingly, the natural qualities of this site were carefully evaluated to make the house feel spacious while not being expansive. The extension follows the same principles, enriching the simple character of the house with its evocative form.

Two parallel desks face the big framed windows under the towering dovecote—suffusing the space with an uncanny chapel-like atmosphere—providing views to the outside. The painting propped up against the tower adds to the mystical nature of the space, suffusing it with a dynamicism. The storage is camouflaged with walls, using a homogenous texture that provides utility for the workspace without obstructing the mystique. The tactile nature of the walls adds an organic appeal to the space, making the room a bridge between the indoors and outdoors. A low bird-watching window focuses on the doves as they feed off the ground, a visual treat for the owners’ two Spinone Italianos—Italian bird-dogs.

The project is a mosaic of multiple explorations, diving into the various possibilities of each detail. “What unites the disparate details of this addition is a sense of movement, craft and nature,” explains the architect. “We followed every intuition about details that might contribute to the space, hoping to stay just this side of too much,” he adds.

The choice of roof for the dovecote was a traditional standing seam metal roof, being cost-effective, fire-resistant and innocuous. The roof is shingled in custom laser-cut shingles, which are inspired by bird feathers. In collaboration with Cutright Construction, the ‘feather’ roof of the dovecote was developed out of the same materials at half the cost. The feather shape was developed to nest together on the sheet to minimise wastage while laser-cutting and maximising the use of sheet material.

Suffused with intricate details, the door handle is inspired by a bronze door handle designed by Alvar Aalto—ergonomic, organic and leather-wrapped—for a bookstore in Helsinki, the architect created the door handle as an ode to Aalto’s modern but inviting approach. The door handles were cast in bronze by a local foundry using the architect’s 3D-printed plastic forms. They were then bound in leather strapping, using the traditional Manchurian sword-hilt wrapping technique.

The studio extension connects to the outside with a small bridge across the hidden courtyard. The courtyard acts as a private outdoor viewing space from the home office. The bridge connecting the extension to the outside explores the concept of Wabi-Sabi—the beauty in imperfection. A small stone of personal significance is wedged between the laminated cedar slats, which were upcycled offcuts from the siding material which clads the building. “This minor disturbance then has a far greater ripple effect, bulging it at its centre. The stone appears to both be held by the slats and hold them apart, creating a somewhat mysterious glimpse onto the ground below,” relays Schwartz.

The project sheds away from the notion that architecture should only serve humans. Its program is the co-habitation of people with their natural environment—in this instance, the Mourning Doves. “More than just a naturalist’s interest in birdwatching,” describes Schwartz, “the nesting boxes–hidden from the inside–encourage the experience of their coos nearby.” The project harbours empathy towards native fauna and the two Spinone Italianos living with the residents, delving into the direction of building inclusivity and consideration for the natural elements, which is essential for sustainability.

Project Details

Name: Mourning Dovecote
Location: Sonoma, California, USA
Area: 36 sqm
Year of completion: 2020
Architect: Schwartz and Architecture
Structural Engineering: iAssociates
Lighting design: PritchardPeck Lighting
Landscape design: Totem Landscape Services
Contractor: Brian Cutright