SAILS ALONG THE PALISADES BLUFF
Situated along the breathtaking Pacific Coast bluff with views stretching up the Pacific Coast Highway towards Malibu, CA, the Demos Residence fulfills the client's desire for "something extraordinary." This residence unites engineering, art, and nature into one harmonious union.
The house is divided into two distinct volumes, separated by an open courtyard with an infinity pool and outdoor living areas. Breaking the building into two parts reduces the perceived scale of the 9,000-square-foot residence, allowing it to read more like two smaller structures set into the hillside. An enclosed bridge connects the two volumes, while a planted wall helps integrate the connection into the landscape.
The house is positioned low on the bluff and the rooflines are carefully shaped to preserve views from neighboring properties. The roofs rise and curve like sails, giving the house a sense of movement that reflects the coastal setting and the wind moving across the bluff. The changing roof forms also help define the different interior volumes while maintaining a low overall profile.
The relationship between the house and the hillside is structural as well as visual. The building is embedded into the slope, allowing the terrain to help anchor the residence while creating a series of levels that follow the natural grade. Large openings and outdoor spaces are oriented toward the Pacific, making the views and landscape part of the organization of the house.
The result is a residence that uses its site to shape the building—from the division of the mass and the central courtyard to the low profile and sail-like roof forms—creating a house that responds directly to the bluff, the ocean, and the homes around it.
PROJECT TEAM: COLBY MAYES, TIM WALSH, TREVOR KIDD, ERIC STEPHENS
COLLABORATORS: DEMOS DEVELOPMENT (DEVELOPER), WORKPOINT ENGINEERING (STRUCTURAL), VCA ENGINEERS INC. (CIVIL), CREST REAL ESTATE (LAND USE CONSULTANTS)
