AIA SB Merit Award

Sited on a world famous point break, this new California surf shack is restrained in scale, honoring the simplicity and spirit of the classic beach bungalow it replaced while also referencing elements of French Colonial and coastal Scandinavian design.

The maritime influence is further conveyed by a central windowed cupola that serves as a visual reckoning point from all elevations and activates the home’s interior with light. A series of exterior rooms further strengthen the connection between outside and in.

Leaning into rather than resisting the inevitable impacts of climate change, the landscape relies on sand, stone, and native coastal plantings rather than a manicured lawn. Additionally, the material palette consists of weather-resistant steel and natural wood for the decks and siding (the house is board finished, eschewing drywall). As a result, in an unplanned proof of concept, the completed project survived a 3-foot deluge of water and mud from recent storms with no damage to the physical landscape or the structure’s integrity.