Wohlner Residence is a modern beach cottage designed by Horst Architects which explores the freedoms and constraints of working with the private seaside community of Three Arch Bay in Laguna Beach, California. The intimate scale of an existing, 1970’s beach cottage was retained with this renovation and addition. While a new, dynamic spatial configuration is created by the elimination of interior walls and some floor areas. Exterior openings have been modified to maximize expansive ocean views, breezes, natural light and privacy. A vacation home for a family of four including two children, the design responds to the requirement of the owners for flexibility of use.

Traditional means of enclosure such as walls and doors are replaced with sliding panels. Interior spaces are connected seamlessly to exterior spaces by pocket doors and a continuity of materials. Travertine, mahogany and Rhine-zinc, gently woven into the composition, root the structure in the seaside terrain and provide spatial synthesis. The openness of the interior spatial plan invites the magnificent play of light upon these surfaces. Interior design firm Aria Design also worked on the project using durable materials and finishes to create a stunning atmosphere, welcoming the owners into their incredible vacation retreat.

Photos: Courtesy of Horst Architects