This stunning modern beach house architecture ideas is the Otter Cove Residence that was designed by San Francisco-based studio Sagan Piechota Architecture. Completed in 2008, this contemporary two story private residence is located in Carmel, California, USA with unobstructed views of the Pacific Ocean. 10,000 sq ft curvilinear design composed of contrasting fields of glass, stone, steel and wood with interior and exterior landscaped ‘courtyards’.
Upper Level: Four en-suite bedrooms, powder room, three-car garage. Open plan kitchen, dining and living rooms feature two fireplaces – expansive light exposure from both East and West directions. Lower Level: Offices, en-suite bedroom, screening room, gym, game room, bar & lounge.
Here is the note from the architects :
“Perched atop a rocky outcrop overlooking the ocean, this Carmel residence strives to appear as a natural extension of the landscape while resolving competing private and public concerns.
A language of fluid lines was adopted to respond to the boundary conditions of the site. The s-curve in the western wing of the plan increased the effective view potential while positioning rooms according to their needs for privacy, the oceanfront bedrooms orienting away from public spaces.
The large area of the house was disguised by splitting the house into two wings — recessing the house into the site and locating nearly half of the space partially underground. The plan-split created a courtyard, the eastern wing providing privacy from Highway One and the western wing buffering the ocean wind. Secondary spaces are located on the lower floor and borrow light from above through three staircases. These spaces provide respite from the panoramic drama on the upper floor.
Roofs are visually pulled apart from the walls creating the affect of lightness and lift. This lift affords long horizontal views to the hills east without sacrificing privacy. It also balances light minimizing glare off the ocean, while creating opportunities for high operable windows encouraging cross ventilation.
Walls are located only where absolutely necessary for privacy or structure and treated as monolithic elements. Stone cladding predominates, rooting the house in the site and visually connecting with the rocky cove.”
Architects: Sagan Piechota Architecture
Location: Carmel, CA, USA
Principal in Charge: Daniel Piechota
Project Team: Jaeson Greer, Ben Frombgen
Collaborators: Mike Eggers, Tim Whitehill, Audrey Hitchcock, Jeremy Tsai
Interior Designer: Jorie Clark
Structural Engineer: Alex Rood, Fulcrum Engineering
Landscape: Christian Lemon
General Contractor: McLeod Construction
Project Year: 2005-2008
Photographs: Joe Fletcher
Tags: beach house architecture, glass home designs, modern glass house
