With the Santa Monica Mountains as a backdrop and the Pacific Ocean at its feet, the Bellino Residence was built to be in dialogue with its natural surroundings. Completed in 2015 by Santa Monica based architecture and design firm, Mayes Office, this abode in the Pacific Palisades comprises of two levels and a roof deck that affords a complete panorama of the California coast.
Photography: Tara Wujcik
The materiality of the house features a modern mixture of wood, steel, concrete and stone ? materials that merge effortlessly with the idyllic surroundings. It is further matched beautifully with polished wood flooring throughout.

As part of an effort to comply with the building height restrictions set by the city council, the strategy in meeting this challenge was to carve out a grade to create an additional level underground ? doubling the floor area without adding to the height. The ?cantilevered? second level and roof deck not only offer magnificent views of the landscape but also they do not comprise any of the square footage. Photography: Tara Wujcik
Interior and exterior spaces are blurred within the Bellino Residence, where natural light and garden spaces flourish. The first floor of the home is lifted just above the ground by the exposed concrete walls of the basement level which allow light to the spill into spaces. Light wells penetrate the spatial volumes of the home and act simultaneously as interior and exterior circulation. The rhythm of the spaces in conjunct...