selected projects
Villa do Vento — Private Residential Compound, Ashland, Oregon
Design/Build Custom Home
Design in harmony with the land creates a living space for the ages
Sirianni met the homeowner, who was searching for a builder, through a mutal friend. Her dream was to have a beautiful home as the heart of a working farm with a place for animals, and for growing and storing food. She had created a great floor plan and knew how the house should function, but the architects she met with weren’t listening to her.
As an architect and builder, Sirianni says, “I have a tremendous responsibility to the people who live in the homes I build, and I take that very seriously. We talked about the importance of the flow and function of all the eventual buildings on the land.” The barn was first to go up on the land - a true post and beam structure with board and batten finish that set the tone for the house above.
At every phase of this project, Sirianni listened and did full drawings and plans in partnership with the homeowner. “She needed a great entrance for this house,” Sirianni says, “and I gave her three choices that would all be beautiful entry points.
“Every facet of the house, from the stacked rooflines to the entry, windows that open up to light and stunning views, and a graceful, timeless design that meshes with the surrounding hills, is in harmony with its function and with her dream. Villa do Vento uses the most technologically advanced methods and time-tested materials to provide efficient heating, lighting and water, in a beautiful cohesive design in harmony with the land. As a result, it will serve well for generations to come.”
Casa Bella — Private Residence, Ashland, Oregon
Design/Build New Construction
Timeless design marries the best of modern technology
Casa Bella was a personal refuge for Sirianni and his family, built from the ground up. He found the ideal acreage, funded the project, and “moved thousands of yards of earth myself.” Carlos Delgado was the architect. “I gave life and depth to the basic structure to create a unique home which draws from Old World European, Japanese and Santa Fe styles”, he says. “The result is my own contemporary language.”
Efficiency and a low carbon footprint were key goals in creating this “healthy home,” and Sirianni used the best technology available.
Faswall, a recycled material block, provides insulation on the exterior to further enhance the thermal mass created with the poured concrete walls. Structurally Insulated Panels achieve R50 in the ceiling. The metal roof will last longer than asphalt roofing, avoids covering the house in petroleum and will prevent embers from entering the house — an important consideration in a time of increasing wildfire hazard. The roof also “breathes” on one side to prevent moisture buildup. Sirianni also installed a poured, 30,000-gallon water tank under the garage — enough for a family of four to survive the heat of summer if the water source became scarce.
Finally, Sirianni brought in a team of craftsmen to add natural stucco, plaster and glowing color to a home that is designed to give a feeling of movement, balancing open gathering spaces with intimate corners. He says, "A builder’s job is the most socially responsible job there is. We can give a gift to the future by doing our work really well.”
Faith Street — Private Residence, Ashland, Oregon
Design-Build Remodel
Transforming an outdated space into a warm home
This homeowner came to Sirianni with a house that was old, outdated and cramped and a galley kitchen in dire need of remodeling. Working closely with the homeowner, Sirianni designed the new space using his sketches, 3D renderings and virtual walk-throughs.
Opening a wall between the kitchen and living room created a great room with a custom flared skylight featuring a light valence and rope lighting with color options. In gray winter days, a soft golden light warms the house visually. A rugged, upcycled wooden beam between the kitchen area and great room now provides a strong horizontal line and creates a sense of stability and peace. Pushing the refrigerator back from its original location opened the kitchen more and made the work flow there more natural. The master bath got another flared skylight, bringing a feeling of openness and space to the room without major remodeling. Finally, the backyard with a custom fence, featuring a header that the homeowner designed herself.
The Garden Studio — Private Artist Studio, Ashland, Oregon
Design-Build Remodel & Addition
From aging barn to chic art studio
Denise, a brilliant painter working in acrylics, came to Sirianni with a 100-year-old barn that she wanted to convert into an art studio. “I used a local architect to draft the project,” says Sirianni, “and I designed a remodel and addition to the old structure creating a truly functional studio that supports her needs as a working artist for light, space and beauty.
The foundation and stem wall use concrete colored in hues of the local earth after a rain, with integrated vents made from rock crushing vents. New wood was locally sourced sugar pine milled locally. With the vernacular of the old barn seamlessly matched, Sirianni added French doors with a round trellace for the entry and an open ceiling arcade to let natural light flood in and give Denise the perfect setting for painting. Says Sirianni, “sitting in the midst of a lush garden, the new space will stand the test of time for at least another 100 years.”
Gumbo — Commercial Art Gallery/Studio/Offices, Ashland, Oregon
Design-Build Remodel
From plain warehouse to whimsical art/dance studio
Daouda came to Sirianni with a one-level warehouse that he wanted to convert into an art gallery/dance space with second-floor offices. Although he rarely works on commercial spaces, Sirianni says, “Daouda is a friend and he gave me artistic freedom to be as whimsical as I wanted.” For this space, Sirianni designed and drew up a full set of plans, did the general contracting and provided his own master carpenter skills. This project created an airy, colorful space for Daouda’s classes in West African Djimbe drumming, art classes taught by his wife, Cinder, and ample room on a second floor for professional offices.
Chozu Bath & Tea Gardens — Retail Space, Ashland, Oregon
Design-Build Addition
Classical, Japanese-inspired sauna for a favored Ashland destination
“Ilene was my chiropractor at the time, and we had many discusssions about Japan, where I lived for two years,” Sirianni says. “I told her about onsens, Japanese hot springs with bathing facilities and inns built around them. When she was in the process of creating a Japanese bath house, she came to me to design and build the sauna.
“I am proud of the work there, and so appreciative of Irene for letting me create a building that transforms Chozu into a destination that lets visitors feel as if they are transported to another place and time. I used authentic joinery on the corners of the building and up in the eaves and designed the offset siding based on the Golden Ratio or Fibonacci numbers prevalent in Renaissance architecture. Crafted from recycled redwood fencing with lichen still attached, it gives the building the appearance of having stood in that spot for countless years.”
Steve Sirianni’s Walls of Time Builders is a full-service design/build firm headquartered in Ashland, Oregon; building custom homes, remodels and additions in Southern Oregon’s Rogue Valley for more than 20 years. Contact wallsoftimeashland.com for more information and a look at some recent projects.