Project Data:

Completion Date:     2/20/2024

Square Footage:      13661

Building Use:           Single Family Residence

Project Description:

This project was designed to integrate into the environment of a significant promontory on a steep hillside site, high above the south Laguna Beach shoreline. A long access road was fit into the hillside, winding up the hill and switching back, following the natural terrain to reach the building site. The project required a 13,500sf floor area to be nestled in the hillside in an unobtrusive as is possible manner, with a minimal impact on the views of the hillside as viewed from below. Each of the 4 levels are shifted and offset in plan to appear as a series of smaller masses stepping down to fit into the profile of the hillside. All floors and interior spaces are oriented to the view, with floor to ceiling glass walls that are obscured from below by generous overhangs that also provide shading from the sun on the interior. A four car garage is tucked in under the structure on the midlevel, back toward the hillside, to minimize its visibility when approaching the house from the drive and turn around court. Garage doors are flush with the exterior finish materials to blend them in with the exterior finish material.

A very simple palette of 3 different materials was used on the exterior. A darker metal on the lower and mid-levels was used to help obscure the lower levels, allowing them to blend in with the vegetation of the site when viewed from a distance, helping to obscure the mass of the lower levels from the observer far below . A cement and aggregate based material is used to clad the upper level that resembles some of the rock outcropping on and around the site. Vertical light wood fins are used to screen some window wall areas and provide. Any road cuts on the long access drive were faced with stone Gabion Cages filled with rock similar to what is found on the surrounding hillsides. The overriding concept was to design and manipulate the masses and materials, attempting to make the house appear as small as possible on the hillside when observed from below.

Shaded garden patio areas are nestled in between volumes and interstitial spaces with lush landscaping that give a more tropical, cool, shaded feel to these areas, in contrast with the surrounding coastal scrub and dry region native vegetation that surrounds the building site. Views out from the interior are alternately focused on the far ocean view, shaded patio areas between volumes and the natural hillside surrounding the structure, to give a constantly changing experience, as one passes from level to level through the interior spaces.

Firm Name:              Tag Front Architects

Completion Date:     2/20/2024

Square Footage:      13661

Building Use:           Single Family Residence

Location:                 150 Vista del Sol, Laguna Beach

Project Description:
This project was designed integrate into the environment of a very visible, significant promontory high above South Laguna Beach. To minimize the visual impact of the project on the hillside the design was layered into the hillside in 3 levels, digging into the hill behind. All levels were articulated and offset from each other to visually fit into the hillside.

The project site consists of two large parcels. To lessen the impact on the environment the entire upper parcel was designated as open space with alteration of the hillside or natural vegetation. The house was constrained to the lower parcel and integrated into the terrain with as little disruption to the environment as possible. A wildland fire consultant was hired to help determine how to minimize the effects of wildfire on the project. Exterior finishes and other materials were chosen to be fire resistant.

The site was analyzed by the Civil Engineer to avoid erosion and excessive runoff from the site finish grading and from the structure. Water is run through landscape areas to filter out pollutants from roof and hardscape area.

Design Architect:
Tag Front Architects

Associate Architect or Firm:

Landscape Architect:

Owner / Developer:
Villa 505 LLC, 1117 N Sherbourne Dr, West Hollywood, CA, 310-734-8477

Engineer:
Soils Engineer: GMU Geotechnical, INC., 2341 Arroyo Vista, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA, Lisa Bates

Civil engineer: RDS and Associates, 30519 Wailea Court, Temecula, CA, Rich Soltyisiac

Environmental Engineer: Glen Lukos Associates, Inc., 1940 Deer Ave. suite 250, Santa Ana, CA, Tony BomKamp

General Contractor:

Consultant:
Fire Consultant: Firesafe Planning Associates, Inc., 302 El Camino Real, Suite 202, San Clemente, Ca, David Oatis

Photographer: