The Mussel Shoals House is located at a critical juncture of the California coastline, between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara, near a legendary surf break.

Designed as a weekend retreat from the demanding rigors of city life, the project responds to the significant constraints of a paucity of budget and a requirement to secure the house against storm and absence. The result is a confident and self-effacing home that defers to the repose and tranquility of the sea, while providing a place of quiet respite for the client.

The restrained budget and need for security suggested a specific design approach: The creation of a homogeneous exterior, minimal in its aspect and material articulation, which would allow the color and texture of the ocean environment to be made legible and emphasized through the framework of this “shell.” The introduction of rolling sunshades and storm doors complete the house’s protective layering, fending off the depredations of sun, salt air and rogue surfers, while allowing variability in living space based on weather conditions.

A disciplined approach to design, minimal in its attitude and based on an unsentimental framework, creates a home with a background posture to the site. The architectural resolution emerges from a recognition of the essential nature of the site through the lens of design.