Malibu Retreat

The Pacific as the fourth wall.

Location

Malibu, CA

Year

2024

Area

740 m²

Duration

32 months

Overview

Perched on a coastal bluff above the Pacific, this 740 m² retreat is organised around a single gesture: a cantilevered living volume that extends 9 metres beyond the cliff edge, suspending inhabitants above the ocean. The house is designed to disappear — clad in weathering steel that will eventually match the ochre of the coastal scrub.

The Challenge

The site is subject to California's Coastal Commission regulations, seismic zone 4 requirements, and extreme wind and salt exposure. The cantilevered volume required a post-tensioned concrete structure capable of withstanding both seismic and wind loads while maintaining a slender profile.

Our Approach

A post-tensioned concrete spine runs the length of the house, from which the cantilevered living volume is suspended. The structural depth is concealed within the floor and ceiling planes, allowing the interior to read as a pure glass box floating above the Pacific.

Photography

Interior of cantilevered living room with panoramic ocean views through floor-to-ceiling glass — Cantilevered living room — the Pacific as the fourth wall, 9m beyond the cliff edge

Infinity pool at the edge of the cliff with ocean view at sunset — Infinity pool — the water plane aligns with the Pacific horizon at high tide

Timeline

Jan – Jun 2021

Feasibility & Permits

Coastal Commission pre-application, seismic assessment, and feasibility study for the cantilevered structure.

Coastal Commission pre-appSeismic assessmentStructural feasibility

Jul – Dec 2021

Concept Design

Development of the cantilevered concept and post-tensioned structural strategy in collaboration with Arup structural engineers.

Concept designStructural conceptCoastal Commission submission

Jan – Aug 2022

Design Development

Full structural engineering, wind and seismic analysis, and detailed design of all building systems.

Full structural packageWind/seismic analysisBuilding permit set

Sep 2022 – Oct 2023

Construction

Construction in three phases: concrete spine and foundations, cantilevered structure, and glazing and cladding.

Concrete structureCantileverEnvelope completion

Mar 2024

Completion

Landscape, pool, and interior completion, followed by handover.

LandscapePoolClient handover

Team

Principal Architect

Elena Vasquez

Elena conceived the cantilevered gesture and led the Coastal Commission approval process, navigating three years of regulatory review.

Project Architect

James Okafor

James managed the complex multi-consultant coordination, overseeing structural, MEP, and landscape teams across a 32-month construction programme.

Structural Engineers

Arup Structural

Arup's Los Angeles office developed the post-tensioned concrete spine and cantilever system, one of the most complex residential structures on the California coast.

Recognition

AIA California Council — Design Award 2024
Architectural Digest — AD100 Project 2024

Next Project

View Next