As a house for a New Yorker now living in Santa Monica, the Devito Residence was conceived as a Manhattan brownstone transplanted to the beach. Located seven lots inland from the Pacific Ocean on a very narrow land parcel, this three-level residence accommodates 4,000 square feet of living space including subterranean parking, media room and a home office on the lowest level. The bedrooms occupy the middle level, allowing the master bedroom to open onto a private garden with spa, while the entire upper level is designed as an open loft for living and entertaining.

The ultra compact nature of the site generated carefully interwoven and vertical volumes. This design allowed for maximized utilization of wind-driven passive ventilation, taking advantage of the consistent prevailing ocean breezes. With no cooling load requirement, the house’s 3-kilowatt photovoltaic power system generates all the power required for this ocean-side home.