A sustainable, modern reimagining of a clifftop beach house.

This glass-fronted home perches high above the sea on a clifftop with far-reaching views all the way to France. We took a sustainable approach to this complete renovation and decided not to knock the original building down, but instead to completely transform it from the bones up into a contemporary, mid-century, glass pavilion-style beach house.

The front façade is completely unassuming as you enter a storey above the garden level through a solid bronzed steel door. From the moment you enter the property, the space draws you towards the horizon. The rear elevation, however, is three storeys high, towering over the descending garden. The original façade had an uncomfortable rhythm of small domestic windows and yellow brick. We allowed it to be slowly strengthened and rebuilt with full-width and full-height sliding glass panels, with a strict rhythm flowing through every level. The result is transformative. The owner and guests are now surrounded by nature and air, clouds, sky, and sea, with wall-to-wall views as though you were literally in the landscape.

With so much light spilling in through the glass, we needed to soften the interior. We chose sun-kissed, sandy Los Angeles vibes, a style of architecture our client adored. Soft, buttery oaks, peachy clay, speckled mineral terrazzo, all anchored by a charred kitchen and a deep iron-rich pantry.

The result is something modern but not disruptive. Rather, it is complementary and welcoming of its natural surroundings whilst feeling wholly modern. And, most importantly to us, it was able to reach this desired goal via the least abrasive means possible.