Cliffside

Malibu, California

Under Construction.

The private residence is situated on a prominent bluff overlooking Little Dume Beach along the Malibu shore. Oriented towards the east, the site opens to panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean and the Southern California coastline.

Designed in collaboration with Ground Studio, which led the landscape design, the project is conceived as an integrated composition of architecture and site. The building is intentionally set back from the bluff’s edge, allowing the landscape to take center stage and serve as the foreground to the ocean beyond.

The lower level of the house is expressed as a monolithic stone plinth emerging from the gently sloping site. Its sculpted form responds to the site's unique geometry through a series of sweeping curves, while carefully carved voids define the home's primary public spaces and frame panoramic views of the Pacific.

Resting lightly above the stone base, a refined glass volume contains the home’s private living spaces. In deliberate contrast to the solidity of the plinth, the transparent upper floor maximizes views and natural light, enhancing one’s connection to the landscape. From the exterior, the glass facade dematerializes into reflections of the clouds and sky above, reducing the building’s visual presence.

The minimal material palette made up of glass, stone, and wood complements the golden hues of the coastal bluffs and sandy beaches below. The landscape strategy reinforces the project's environmental objectives by replacing invasive, fire-prone eucalyptus with a resilient palette of drought-tolerant native and climate-adapted plants capable of thriving with minimal to no permanent irrigation. Together, the architecture and landscape create a cohesive expression that is both deeply rooted in its site and responsive to the ecological character of the Malibu coast.