Central Coast Guest House and Studio

Our client came to us with his beautiful Central Coast property situated at the base of a remote, rugged, steep-walled sandstone canyon and native coastal oak woodland habitat. Our design is inspired by his twofold request: to create an environmentally sensitive compound that is a special place of quiet solitude - a remote retreat for his family and friends to gather and commune with nature. And to create an apt environment for his practice of Qigong, an ancient Asian art of meditation and movement. Our tranquil Zen-like curvilinear building design embodies these goals. It’s one of our most sculptural flowing designs. 

The site-inspired design centers on a symbiotic relationship with the natural environment. Separate guesthouse and studio structures are carefully nested within 100+ year old oak trees. Our sensitive site planning protected the natural site by minimizing earthwork and preserving all existing specimen oaks on the very challenging steep hillside location. In addition, we selected a palette of natural, low-maintenance, fire-resistant materials to blend naturally with the rugged environment. Native sandstone, board form concrete, integrally colored plaster, copper, and cedar comprise a palette of materials w ith quiet tranquility that will patina naturally over time.