American firm Feldman Architecture has created a cypress-clad, beachfront dwelling that is meant to balance "high design and a casual Californian aesthetic".
Perched on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Surf House is located in the central California city of Santa Cruz. The 417-square-metre dwelling serves as a weekend getaway for a San Francisco Bay Area family with strong ties to the coastal town.
The home overlooks the Pacific Ocean in Santa Cruz
The clients charged San Francisco's Feldman Architecture with designing a home that embraced the landscape and adhered to a geologic setback requirement.
They also wanted the dwelling to be sensitive to the feel and scale of the surrounding neighbourhood, which features unassuming structures. Salvaged wood wraps the exterior of Surf House
"The clients were well-versed on the nuances of the site and dreamt of a home that fit naturally and sustainably into its beachy, eclectic locale," said the architects.
For the long property with a ragged ocean-facing edge, the team conceived three structures.
A wooden deck provides ocean views
The main dwelling, which rises two levels, is set nearest to the coast. In the rear, a wooden deck provides an opportunity for indoor-outdoor living and a chance to take in the ocean air.
The front portion of the property has a courtyard with two structures ? a garage and a building for storing surf gear called the board room.
The kitchen also features largely wooden elements
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