It is not an easy task to elevate commercial architecture in a predominantly residential neighborhood. On a street which boasts both humble beach cottages and three story residences, this project seeks to mirror the duality of its context through the rooted elegance of its architecture. In both application and structure, materiality is the hero. One volume composes the beach level, while a second off-centered volume cantilevers above it. Cavernous atriums carved into each mass allow light to flood even the most unexpected places. For example, one “cavern" brings light all the way to the basement where it splashes a feature plant wall, while another pours light into a communal dining space. Beyond even form, the duality of the architecture cascades into the materiality of the architecture itself as expressed by two primary exterior textures. A rugged plaster dominates the largest surface area in order to capture shifting patterns of sunlight, while a honed plaster denotes floor and roof slabs. Ultimately, the architecture dances between poles of solidity and transparency, balance and subversion, density and lightness in a new interpretation of beach co-working.
