The Beach Lab

Few older coastal homes in Southern California are still standing that ooze that iconic Beachy character. Just a short walk to the Surf, a complete recycling of this 1957 Rancher was our attempt to passionately morph the tired home into an environmentally conscious, fun living space.

All of the original 2 bed + 1 bath bungalow's structure was kept intact, upgraded to current codes and now highlighted by the interior vaulted ceiling with exposed wood beams. An all new angled cube volume re-used the old concrete slab and replaced a termite & mold infested addition from the 60's. Passive designed overhangs, thoughtful use of natural wood, abundance of natural light, multi slide glass doors and a simple open plan define the clean design narrative.

The Beach Lab project was an R&D test experiment to introduce new yet proven materials and techniques for our own brand of pragmatic Modernism. Kitchen doors made of Marine-grade Plywood sheets were right off the lumberyard shelf. Exterior wood siding was sandblasted prior to staining in order to raise the grain and accent the texture of flat grain Douglas Fir. Both are subtle nuances of non-standard details which contributed honorably to maintaining the cool factor of this coastal lifestyle redux.

Landscape was created with the local Surfing Beach campgrounds in mind. The use of decomposed granite ( fittingly called Palm Springs Gold), 100% permeable surfaces with mass plantings of drought tolerant grasses reflects a goal for water conservation and mimics local bluffs & hillsides. Addition of a Bonsai tree near the deck area is a nod to the family's background as well as a subtle softening of the surrounding hardscape.

Modestly scaled, the single level house is 1700 sf on a 7500 sf infill lot with no extra building footprint added on. Re-programmed to a two bedroom, a home office / flex space for a possible third bedroom and a new Master with bath + walk-in closet. Dual outdoor living spaces were specifically integrated due to the unique social dynamics of the street. Modern returns to the Beach in Leucadia.

Completed in 2017