Green

A view of the house from the front. Photo by Ken Pagliaro Photography.

Another view of the upstairs hallway, which features bamboo flooring. Photo by Ken Pagliaro Photography.

The relationship between interior and exterior becomes crucial in the articulation of the residence.

One of the early challenges of building the house was defining the property lines of the lot, which had come to be known as "the floating acre" among the local fishermen.

"This is the Beauvoir House, located in Las Flores Canyon in Malibu," says Bruce Bolander. "The color was influenced by the color of the new growth on the chaparral that surrounds the house. The house and kitchen are both very small; the house is about 1600 square feet."

The Green School in Badung, Bali, Indonesia, by Effan Adhiwira, employs micro-hydro power, solar power, bio-diesel, and natural air conditioning; it was also constructed with 99% natural materials. Photo by Iwan Baan

Covered with wire mesh, the green roof will continue to vegetate over time.

Redesigning the cramped bathroom was one of the project’s biggest challenges. The original space had small and dated bath fittings, as well as intrusive plumbing pipework. The entire bathroom was taken down to the studs and pipes were redirected. The chimney was removed from the adjacent bedroom, increasing the available interior space. The tile floor in the bathroom is the only new flooring in the entire house.

A small box atop the home looks out onto a green roof, designed by local landscaping firm Toits Vertige.