The Peninsula House is located on a 2,400 square foot site, on a peninsula in Southeast Long Beach, between the Pacific Ocean and Alamitos Bay. The average residential lot in this area is 30 feet wide and 80 feet deep, with only 3 foot setbacks and an allowable height of 32 feet. In order to keep costs down, this house was designed to be two stories rather than the permitted three. This allowed for higher ceilings and the flexibility to create volumes that broke up the building’s mass. The building was also pulled back in multiple locations to create outdoor spaces, rather than maximizing the building square footage.
Unliketypical residential projects, this was a custom speculative home developed by a single entity. In addition to being the designer, the architect took on the roles of client and general contractor. The objective was to create a contemporary house that would challenge local design trends while still appealing to the general public. The program was selected for the average family and the layout made flexible to accommodate a broader end user pool.
The design concept for this single family residence hinges on the relationship between three intersecting volumes and a base. The primary volume consists of an exterior cladding system that wraps the south elevation. Two secondary volumes are inserted to focus views and highlight significant programmatic elements. The balcony and family room are combined into a singular volume at the front of the house. The third triple height volume bisects the house and contains the vertical circulation, acting as a light well and a thermal chimney. The base is a concrete plinth designed to raise the house above the 100 year flood level.
Rather than being clustered together, the bedrooms are dispersed throughout the home to maximize the potential uses of each space. A small, spare bedroom is located on the first floor, which could function as an office or guest room. The second and third bedrooms upstairs are separated by the hallway and stair, again allowing for multiple uses.
The living spaces are also divided. The smaller downstairs living room is connected to the open concept kitchen and dining room and has a sliding pocket glass door that opens the room up to the outdoors. The larger upstairs living room has high ceilings, a wet bar for entertaining and access to a deck with views of the bay. There are also two separate roof decks, both accessed from the third floor of the atrium. The back deck is more intimate with an outdoor fireplace and a wood trellis privacy screen. The front deck is larger and intended for entertaining, with gas and water hookups.
Material Used :
1. Nichiha- Facade Cladding- Architectural Block Fiber Cement Panels
2. Western Red Cedar- Facade Cladding- 6“ Tongue and Groove Boards w/ Penofin Verde natural oil finish
3. Omega Stucco- Facade Cladding
4. VaproShield- Building Membrane (except at stucco)- WrapShield
5. Owens Plank floor- Wood Flooring- white oak
6. Caesarstone- Countertops
7. Fleetwood- Doors and Windows- pocket door and large sliding doors/ windows
8. Milgard aluminum- Doors and Windows
9. Castec- Motorized Window Shades
10. Frigidaire- Appliances- Professional Line
11. Smart Vent- Flood Vents
