Rammed earth and glass form the walls of this house by US studio Feldman Architecture, which was designed for a hilly property in an eco-friendly residential development near the ocean.

The Caterpillar House is located in the Santa Lucia Preserve, a private development near Carmel ? a town situated along the Pacific Coast. Only 10 per cent of the 20,000-acre (8,094-hectare) estate is targeted for construction, with the rest designated for land conservation.

The design team sought to emphasise a connection to the terrain, which features rolling hills blanketed with native grasses and dotted with trees.

The client had an appreciation for modern architecture after having lived in a house designed by Cliff May, a self-taught architect who helped pioneer the California ranch style in the mid-20th century.
"Having lived in a Cliff May home, the client came to the project with a love of modern ranch houses and looking for an environmentally conscious response to a beautiful site," said Feldman Architecture, a San Francisco-based studio that designed the Butterfly House, also located in the Santa Lucia Preserve.

The team sought to create a contemporary residence that embraced the ideals of ranch-style architecture, including low and horizontal massing, an open plan with a strong connection to the outdoors, and an informal main living zone.

For a sloping site, the team conceived a building that stretches from west to east, with a plan that is shaped like a caterpilla...