Rost Architects Starts Design on Ground Up Modern Home in Laguna Beach California
Rost Architects started design on a ground up modern home in Laguna Beach California in August 2020. The owners came to us asking for a home that was simple, clean and modern with restrained elegance. The owners are deeply embedded in the high end fashion industry and the luxury kitchen industry so their design taste and acumen is refined. It has been a pleasure working with a couple who appreciate and know the value of good design.
Rost Architects Design for Ground Up Custom Home in Laguna Beach California
At the beginning of the project we had the privilege of sitting down with the owners for an afternoon lunch and engaging in an in depth conversation on design philosophy and what they wanted in the home. We discovered that many of our perspectives on design and vision for the project were in alignment.
The First Design Presentation
We presented the preliminary design to the owner in October 2020. Fortunately they were very pleased with the initial design and plan layout. We have some small floorplan adjustments that we will be studying for the next design meeting however in general it was a great success and the owners were very happy with the direction.
The images on the right are the first concept images that were presented to the owners. We like presenting these conceptual sketch images at the first meeting because they can show the general form, material color tones, and conceptual landscaping without getting too far into the design details. Once we get approval on these conceptual images then we move into the more refined details of the design.
Rost Architects Design For Ground Up Modern Home in Laguna Beach California
The Architecture and Plan Layout
The architecture of the home is made up of several thick vertical masonry elements that are tied together by thin horizontal steel C Channels. Long spans of horizontal wood slats clad the walls and run the length of the home.
Due to the code restrictions on the site, the best design strategy for the project would be a split level floorplan. At the front of the property is a large open space containing the kitchen, dining and family room. At the rear of the lot will be two stacked spaces with the lower level being the secondary bedrooms, powder room, and den. At the upper level will be the master suite with access to a large partially covered roof deck with full views to the ocean.
A three car garage will be accessed off of the street and tucked below the home at the front of the property. Cantilevering dramatically out over the garage is a balcony supported with an exposed structural C Channel steel beams. A glass guardrail will sit at the edge of the balcony. Behind the glass guardrail sits a large three panel pocket slider that when closed will disappear into the wall and open up the main living and entertaining space to the cantilevering balcony. This site gets a beautiful breeze coming off of the ocean and will provide natural ventilation to the home.
Rost Architects Design For Ground Up Modern Home in Laguna Beach California
At the rear of the property will be a semi sunken private garden accessed from the two rear bedrooms and den. In the design we’ve put a great deal of attention into incorporating special features that provide surprising and/or mysterious moments when experiencing the home. Large skylights strategically placed in the home will flood areas of the home with natural light. They will also provide surprising connections between the different levels in the home.
Moving forward, we will continue to massage the plan/design with the owners. When we have the wrinkles ironed out we will prepare the documents for our preliminary planning submittal at the city. If everything looks good then we will progress into Design Review. To learn more about the design review process in Laguna Beach, check out our video here.
If you would like to hear more about this project or any others, reach out to us at www.rostarchitects.com.
