A coastal residence demonstrates residential architecture embedded in a hillside through stone walls, green roofs, and a wind-sheltered courtyard.

Project Overview

Studio Schicketanz designed a single-family residence in Northern Big Sur, California, set between Highway One and Malpaso Creek with wide views across the Pacific. The project advances residential architecture through a landscape-first approach: pavilion-like volumes step into the slope, green roofs extend the hillside, and materials draw directly from the site’s geology.

Interiors and terraces open to both the coastline and a concealed rear courtyard. Large sliding glass walls on opposing facades enable full-width openings, reinforcing continuity between interior spaces, terraces, and the swimming pool while moderating exposure to prevailing coastal winds.

The hillside home features stone walls and expansive terraces with a swimming pool.

Site and Urban Context

The house occupies rugged topography along the Big Sur coast, where steep gradients and strong Pacific winds shape daily conditions. Sited between Highway One and the riparian edge of Malpaso Creek, the building terraces into the slope to preserve views, reduce apparent mass, and create protected outdoor rooms overlooking the ocean.

Aerial view highlighting the home's integration into the rugged terrain beside the coastline.

Design Concept

The composition is a series of interconnected pavilions calibrated to the terrain. Green roofs visually carry the contours of the hillside across the architecture, lowering the profile from distant viewpoints. The plan establishes a dual orientation: an ocean-facing side with panoramic glazing and a recessed courtyard at the rear for refuge from wind and salt air. Comparable landscape-led strategies appear in projects like Interwoven Landscapes and HillHouse.

A cozy courtyard patio is surrounded by textured stone walls, ideal for gathering.

Spatial Organization

A central open-plan living, dining, and kitchen zone sits between the pool terrace and the sheltered courtyard, allowing the interior to open fully to both directions. Circulation aligns with exterior edges, where the continuation of stone walls indoors strengthens wayfinding and anchors movement through the house. Private rooms extend from the main volume, including a calm primary suite and an en-suite bathroom organized around a freestanding tub lit from above. An outdoor shower occupies its own stone-walled enclosure, extending bathing rituals into the landscape.

Open-plan kitchen and dining area extend towards the ocean views, framed by large glass walls.

Materials and Facade

Local granite stone walls and warm, earth-toned concrete tie the exterior to the cliffs and coastal rock formations. Floor-to-ceiling glass spans both primary elevations, framing views and enabling the sliding wall system. Inside, Venetian plaster, custom-blend mosaic walls, and wood ceilings add tactile depth and warmth to the otherwise crisp envelope. The emphasis on natural tones and durable finishes parallels the material sensibility seen in Modular Harmony in East Hampton.

Light, Climate, and Atmosphere

Expansive glazing admits coastal light while allowing the home to open for ocean air. The courtyard establishes a protected microclimate, tempering wind and providing a warm outdoor living area defined by a curved concrete wall with integrated seating. A circular skylight over the primary bath introduces controlled top light, and the cross-axial openings support airflow consistent with principles discussed in cross ventilation in architecture.

Stylish bathroom features a freestanding tub beneath a circular skylight, combining luxury and nature.

Design Highlights

• Interconnected Pavilion Volumes Step Into The Hillside, Minimizing Apparent Mass and Extending Topography With Green Roofs.

• Dual Orientation Pairs Ocean Facing Panoramic Glazing With A Wind Sheltered Rear Courtyard for Protected Outdoor Living.

• Local Granite Stone and Earth Toned Concrete Reference Coastal Geology While Resisting The Marine Environment.

• Full Height Sliding Glass Walls Open Along Both Primary Facades, Creating Indoor–outdoor Continuity Across Terrace and Courtyard.

• A Curved Concrete Wall With Built in Seating Organizes The Courtyard Around A Fire Pit, With Desert Planting Softening Hard Edges.

• Exterior Stone Continues Into Interior Hallways, Reinforcing Circulation and The Building’s Relationship To Its Site.

• A Circular Skylight Illuminates The Freestanding Bathtub, While An Outdoor Shower Is Contained Within A Stone Enclosure.

• Warm Interior Finishes—wood Ceilings, Venetian Plaster, and Custom Mosaic Walls—balance The Crisp Structural Envelope.

Key Facts

Frequently Asked Questions

Who designed the residence and where is it located?

The home was designed by Studio Schicketanz in Northern Big Sur, California, on a site stretching from Highway One to Malpaso Creek.

How does the layout address the coastal climate?

The plan opens toward the ocean for views while folding around a rear courtyard that is sheltered from strong Pacific winds. Sliding glass walls on both sides let the interior modulate exposure and airflow.

What materials define the project?

Local granite stone and earth-toned concrete form the primary exterior, paired with floor-to-ceiling glass. Interiors feature wood ceilings, Venetian plaster, and custom mosaic walls.

How are interior and exterior spaces connected?

Full-height sliding glass systems open the main living areas to the pool terrace and the courtyard, creating continuous spatial sequences across thresholds.