Set on the upper tier of a residential development overlooking Newport Bay, this unassuming neighborhood became the context for a truly unique home. While the standard residential pad offered little in terms of inspiration, the creation of a faux topography offered the possibility of a new context and something greater than its surroundings. An abstract hill was first developed, which served as the starting point for the design of the home. This conceptual hill is intersected by two diverse outdoor spaces, one affording panoramic views from Laguna to Palos Verdes and beyond to Catalina, while the other forms a more intimate private-entry courtyard. The home itself capitalizes on these outdoor spaces, with the main living level offering a view to both.
Hidden beneath the hill, in a large cavern, are the wine storage and tasting rooms. The home's many sensual qualities are rooted in a simple palette of board-formed concrete, Texas Shellstone, Ipe siding, and white plaster. Capitalizing on the intrinsic nature of these materials reduced the overall impact on both cost and the environment, and enforces the honest essence of the home. The interiors draw from this palette, always using light to magnify the unique textures that form the backdrop to this home. While rooted in the finite - concrete and stone - this home manages to touch the infinite with its subtle use of light and volume.
