A former Apple designer created a custom $600,000 complex of small prefab homes in the Sonoma, California hills — see inside the unique 'weeHouse'

Mary MeisenzahlAug 16, 2020, 18:54 IST

weeHouse.Alchemy

BJ Siegel, a former Apple Design Director, collaborated on the design of his Sonoma home.
The weeHouse is larger than a tiny home but is prefabricated and modular the way many tiny homes are.
The home was completed in 2016 for a total of $600,000.

Apple is known for its thoughtful designs and its attention to detail in its iPhones, laptops, and AirPods.

A California home design from Alchemy Architects gives a look at what the Apple design aesthetic might look like applied to a house.

BJ Siegel was a senior design director of real estate and development at Apple for 10 years, according to his LinkedIn profile. In 2016, the designer collaborated with Alchemy Architects to create a customized version of their weeHouse design.

Siegel's house isn't quite a tiny house; it's two structures that combine to be nearly 1,000 square feet, although it is modular and assembled off-site, as many tiny homes are. The sleek, minimalist design has some qualities in common with Apple products, in neutral colors and high-end finishes. Take a look at the house here.

The house is really two structures: a 640 square foot main house, and a 330 square foot guest house.

weeHouse. Alchemy

The two open-sided structures, which both sit on concrete, were shipped nearly completed.

weeHouse. Alchemy

They were designed to each ship in two pieces, with boxes shipping as one module, and detached porches as the other.

weeHouse. Alchemy

The two buildings are connected by steel stairs and railings, also designed by Alchemy.

weeHouse. Alchemy

The main house is set up like a studio, with an open kitchen, living room, sleeping area, and bathroom.

weeHouse. Alchemy

The guest house is a smaller version of the main home, and also has its own bathroom.

weeHouse. Alchemy

The built-in oak wardrobe adds storage, and also acts as the wall to the bathroom, blocking it off from the rest of the home.

weeHouse. Alchemy

They have ipe wood interiors, with custom oak cabinet doors.

weeHouse. Alchemy

Both buildings are open-sided, to best take in the views from the Sonoma site.

weeHouse. Alchemy

Nine-foot tall sliding glass walls mean the home can easily continue into the outdoors, or onto the porch.

weeHouse. Alchemy

Both buildings have weathering steel siding.

weeHouse. Alchemy

For this project, Alchemy adapted its original weeHouse design to add high-end finishes requested by Siegel.

weeHouse. Alchemy

It was designed in Minnesota, and mostly built in Oregon.

weeHouse. Alchemy

Alchemy said that the structures were 90% done when they were delivered to the site in California.

weeHouse. Alchemy

They were placed on a hill surrounded by oak trees, positioned specifically for the views.

weeHouse. Alchemy

In 2018, the design won the American Institute of Architecture's Small Project Award.

weeHouse. Alchemy

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A former Apple designer created a custom $600,000 complex of small prefab homes in the Sonoma, California hills — see inside the unique 'weeHouse'

The house is really two structures: a 640 square foot main house, and a 330 square foot guest house.

The two open-sided structures, which both sit on concrete, were shipped nearly completed.

They were designed to each ship in two pieces, with boxes shipping as one module, and detached porches as the other.

The two buildings are connected by steel stairs and railings, also designed by Alchemy.

The main house is set up like a studio, with an open kitchen, living room, sleeping area, and bathroom.

The guest house is a smaller version of the main home, and also has its own bathroom.

The built-in oak wardrobe adds storage, and also acts as the wall to the bathroom, blocking it off from the rest of the home.

They have ipe wood interiors, with custom oak cabinet doors.

Both buildings are open-sided, to best take in the views from the Sonoma site.

Nine-foot tall sliding glass walls mean the home can easily continue into the outdoors, or onto the porch.

Both buildings have weathering steel siding.

For this project, Alchemy adapted its original weeHouse design to add high-end finishes requested by Siegel.

It was designed in Minnesota, and mostly built in Oregon.

Alchemy said that the structures were 90% done when they were delivered to the site in California.

They were placed on a hill surrounded by oak trees, positioned specifically for the views.

In 2018, the design won the American Institute of Architecture's Small Project Award.