Over the years, private DCI cinema designer Christopher Hansen and author-crafter Marisa Pawelko migrated from Los Angeles to Cabo San Lucas in search of a quiet place near the beach to relax and go surfing. In their quest, they’d never quite left the city behind—then they found an oceanfront lot for sale between the small towns of Troncones and La Majahua in Mexico. “We all said, ‘This is the spot,’” Christopher remembers.

Not only was it a surfer’s paradise, but this was the only lot they’d found with a pair of mature Manzanillo trees beside the beach: perfect for a shady picnic.

After a career spent building high-end entertainment systems and home theaters, Christopher knew exactly what he wanted: a modern design that framed cinematic views. The resulting home is sometimes called Modern Surf Shack, sometimes Casa Los Arboles, or Tree House. Both monikers are accurate.

“For years, I’d always envisioned this house that was basically like a sandwich: a concrete top and bottom of exactly the same thickness and just glass all around,” explains Christopher, who was trained as an engineer and worked with designer and longtime friend Steve Straughan to complete the design.

He humbly describes the ensuing house as “two Kleenex boxes, sitting on top of each other,” but Christopher was very specific about the details—wall thickness, measurement of overhangs—to maintain symmetry and flow.

The property front is bounded by a large concrete wall that hides additional storage areas and, once you pass under its portico-like entry, gives way to a cobblestone courtyard lined with palm trees and native plants. Once the front door opens, floor-to-ceiling windows grant a magnificent view of the beach.

Kitchen cabinetry and countertops, as well as stair treads and door frames, were constructed with parota, a sustainable local wood with a golden-brown tone similar to walnut.

Christopher, who served as the project’s general contractor, also designed and built much of the wood furniture, such as a living room sofa and the beds.

Marisa found the blue tile that runs throughout the home in León, Mexico. “It called out to us,” says Christopher. Festooned with small stars, its tone matches the color of the ocean perfectly." layout="bleed" credit="Manolo Langis" photoUserId=""/>

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Then there’s the couple’s collection of antique Indonesian furniture. “I was surfing there a lot when I was younger, and most of it’s over 100 years old,” says Christopher, noting a longtime love for juxtaposing antique furniture and contemporary architecture. “When we put them in this house, they looked perfect.”

And you can’t call a house the Modern Surf Shack without a few surfboards. Above the entrance is a Mike Doyle signature Hansen longboard (no relation to the owner). The late Doyle, who rose to global fame in the 1960s, was a close friend for many years.

“I love the water and the mechanics of the wave and how you ride it,” says Christopher, who has been surfing since the mid-1960s and spends about two hours every other day in the water. “These waves just come out of the distance, and they can be amazingly beautiful. They actually drive the surfboard, and you’re just flying through the air.”

With the help of project photographer Manolo Langis and his wife, interior designer K.B. Kim, Christopher and Marisa also chose several artworks by Scott Szegeski, featuring surf-inspired interpretations of Japanese printing, and scoured local shops for art and artifacts, including a pair of masks hanging on the living room wall—all of which help to connect the house to its setting.

The couple has spent most of the pandemic here, forming a bubble with a German couple next door and often gathering on the beach for dinner. Yet Marisa and Christopher, the latter of whom is an avid cook, also enjoy connecting with local purveyors—one of them even delivers fresh produce by horseback.

“I’d always said years ago that I wanted a house in Malibu,” Christopher says. “But this is actually better than Malibu. It’s more private, more charming.”

Related Reading:

These Legendary Surfers’ Converted School Bus Connects to a Three-Story Tree House on Hawaii

A Concrete Abode Becomes a Surfer’s Paradise

Project Credits:

Architect of Record: Christopher Hansen & Steve Straughan

General Contractor: Christopher Hansen

Landscape Designer: Michael McGowen

Interior Design: Christopher Hansen & K.B. Kim

Cabinetry and Millwork: Xam Interiorismo

Photography: Manolo Langis