The Sea Ranch was first conceived in the 1960s by a group of architects who envisioned an idyllic community along the rocky Northern California coast. Homes within the master-planned community would recede into their surroundings and adhere to strict building guidelines to minimize their impact on nature. While not among the original planners, architect J. Carson Bowler designed several of the area’s homes in the 1980s. His idiosyncratic style of architecture reflected the surroundings of Sonoma County and included nautical details inspired by ships and wharves, such as windows that recall those along the bridge of a ship.

he structure is nestled within cypress groves and rolling dunes in The Sea Ranch, a community of modernist homes located along a 10-mile stretch of California’s famous Highway 1. " layout="wide" credit="Photo by Bill Oxford" photoUserId=""/>

A resident of Bodega Bay about an hour down the coast, Carson is perhaps most famous for designing the local post office there. The structure is nestled into a hill below the highway and features a sod roof that blends into the landscape—all to keep from interrupting stunning views along Highway 1. “He was always thinking about the coastal environment, about how a building would fit there,” said longtime friend Doug Murray, a Sebastopol-based architect.

This 2,300-square-foot home, dubbed The Starship Enterprise, was built in 1986 and offers two spacious bedrooms and two full bathrooms. Divided evenly between public and private spaces, the home enjoys sweeping views from its second-floor living area, while the bedrooms are tucked away downstairs. Keep scrolling for a look inside the home, which was recently reduced to the current asking price of $899,000.

"His architecture reflected the Sonoma Coast," says another friend and local real estate agent George Capone. "He took advantage of that to bring the views inside."" layout="wide" credit="Photo by Bill Oxford" photoUserId=""/>

235 Broad Reach, The Sea Ranch, CA 95497 is currently listed for $899,000 by Kristen Winant of The Coastal Real Estate Company - Liisberg & Kalinoski.

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