Galatea Terrace

Designing a typical basement for this home in the Irvine Terrace neighborhood of Newport Beach simply wouldn't do. Instead, we doubled the volume of this one-story home with plenty of wow factor by creating a central courtyard that divides the home into two living wings. The courtyard features a long, linear pool that waterfalls over 12 feet below into a reflecting pool at the basement level, and a central outdoor living area provides expansive views overlooking the courtyard to the Pacific Ocean beyond. The home’s composition maximizes natural light through clerestory glazing, pocketing doors, and floor-to-ceiling feature windows, while differentiated rooflines give character to each wing and articulate programmatic zones. Passive and active solar strategies, including roof-mounted photovoltaic panels and automated shading, reduce energy use, while design decisions were informed by sustainability and life-cycle considerations—maintenance and embodied-energy were considered via alternative materials such as composite panels (rather than natural stone), aluminum composite metals, and FSC-certified lumber, implemented to reduce the impacts of new construction and promote longevity. Every decision reinforces the unexpected moments discovered within its design.