Manhattan Beach Residence

Form and material defined our design for the ocean-side Manhattan Beach residence. We responded to our client’s affinity for the visual qualities of concrete, combining exposed concrete with streel-framed windows to give the home a minimal, monochromatic profile.
The 3,500 square foot residence spans two oceanfront lots, and we broke the masses of the home into three cubes, each offset from the other and sloping down toward the beach. Inside, stairways and window-filled corridors link the overlapping cubes, facilitating fluid movement between the volumes. Floor-to-ceiling glass in living and dining rooms interrupt neutral gray walls, light washing in from all angles.
The design’s flexibility accommodates everything from intimate dinners to industry parties, and the custom wood finishes and furniture, designed in collaboration with artist Roy McMakin of Domestic Architecture, complement and amplify the monochromatic concrete.
A prominently displayed sculpture by acclaimed minimalist Donald Judd echoes the home’s striking, cube-based shapes, further harmonizing form and materiality. Outside, the Japanese-inspired garden surrounding the home creates space for contemplation against the dramatic ocean-scape.