Otter Cove Residence / Sagan Piechota Architecture

Dec 2009

By Amber P — Filed under: Houses , Selected , California, Sagan Piechota Architecture, Steel, Stone, USA

Architects: Sagan Piechota Architecture
Location: Carmel, CA, USA
Principal in Charge: Daniel Piechota
Project Team: Jaeson Greer, Ben Frombgen
Collaborators: Mike Eggers, Tim Whitehill, Audrey Hitchcock, Jeremy Tsai
Interior Designer: Jorie Clark
Structural Engineer: Alex Rood, Fulcrum Engineering
Landscape: Christian Lemon
General Contractor: McLeod Construction
Project Year: 2005-2008
Photographs: Joe Fletcher

Private cliffside residence just south of Carmel, California with unobstructed views of the Pacific Ocean. 10,000 sq ft curvilinear design composed of contrasting fields of glass, stone, steel and wood with interior and exterior landscaped ‘courtyards’.

northeast elevation

Upper Level: Four en-suite bedrooms, powder room, three-car garage. Open plan kitchen, dining and living rooms feature two fireplaces – expansive light exposure from both East and West directions. Lower Level: Offices, en-suite bedroom, screening room, gym, game room, bar & lounge.

: © Joe Fletcher

: © Joe Fletcher

: © Joe Fletcher

: © Joe Fletcher

: © Joe Fletcher

: © Joe Fletcher

: © Joe Fletcher

: © Joe Fletcher

: © Joe Fletcher

: © Joe Fletcher

: © Joe Fletcher

: © Joe Fletcher

: © Joe Fletcher

: © Joe Fletcher

: © Joe Fletcher

: main floor plan

: lower floor plan

: northeast elevation

16 comments »

omv says:

did they run short on Hadid or MAD projects to show?

# December 19, 2009 at 22:53

architist says:

Well integrated to the natural site. I love the natural flow of traffic inside and the visibility through the high level glazing. Well done.

# December 20, 2009 at 00:23

Dan says:

The way light is brought into these spaces is phenomenal, as are the materialities. I also appreciate how moments gracefully avoid being compromised by the unrelenting curvilinearity. The only issue I had was with some of the ocean front edges. While I understand the reason for making them as transparent as possible, it seems the effect would be stronger if they were made out of something else besides just glass.

# December 20, 2009 at 01:17

oso says:

old school

# December 20, 2009 at 03:09

SASHA says:

very nice. good work

# December 20, 2009 at 03:23

Wargo says:

American revival.

# December 20, 2009 at 11:41

VRT says:

capricho americano

# December 20, 2009 at 12:46

mike says:

I like the style of the elevation drawing ..what is it..archicad sketch rendering?

# December 20, 2009 at 16:46

Daniel Piechota says:

old-fashioned-pen and ink on tracing paper-hand-drawing

# December 21, 2009 at 10:39

Jasmine says:

nice work.i like it!

# December 30, 2009 at 05:15

ScottTracy says:

I am angered that you have photographed our secret island home. Now the Hood will know where we are.

# December 20, 2009 at 18:07

Terry Glenn Phipps says:

There is so much to like about this project that I am really left to ponder why it isn’t better overall.

The organic plan is nearly Lautneresque, alas without the maestro’s ability to dematerialize the fenestration. Instead we have a building that soars anchored to the ground with heavy-black -curtainwall windows.

The treatment of daylight is remarkable, giving full credit to the crashing wave of the parti and every other aspect of this remarkable site.

What I don’t understand is why that beautiful wave ceiling has to be miles and miles of white perforated with 65,000 light cans. Would it not have been possible to work with a lighting consultant to bring the level of illumination up to the calibre of the architecture?

# December 21, 2009 at 14:21

Octavio chavez, M. Arch. says:

The space fluency as visual as functional organic integrated at the same time to the site, that give a temperate and magisterial sound to the dwelling that am sure elevates and relaxes the spirit of whom inhabits it. Very well done.

# December 21, 2009 at 19:37

arch alex g. says: