House Noir, Malibu Building, California Beach-Front House, American Architecture, Images
House Noir in Malibu
Prime Location Real Estate in California, USA ? design by Lorcan O’Herlihy Architects
Nov 27, 2017
House Noir
Design: Lorcan O’Herlihy Architects
Location: Malibu, California, USA
House Noir

Situated on one of the last undeveloped oceanfront lots along the iconic Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, House Noir not only breaks the conventional beach house mold, but it creatively addressees the complexity of building next to the water, especially in the face of climate change ? the fundamental design challenge of our time.

The goal of the project is to design for longevity, and to address how, through an adept approach to materiality and form, the house can be sustainable throughout multiple decades. One of the challenges of building next to the ocean is the issue of coastal erosion and rising sea levels which demands complex design solutions. By raising the house 20 feet above the shoreline, building a seawall, and a deep caisson foundation, the site was secured and is capable of absorbing the energy of the sea in the event of a natural disaster.
The corrosive sea air, which can deteriorate metals and slowly peel away paint, was addressed by wrapping the building in aluminum, a non-corrosive metal, which is coated in a resilient rustproof paint.

Other than addressing issues of climate and ecology, new parameters for building next to the ocean informe...