Encinitas based architect Brett Farrow has built and designed a home for his family as part of his four home development that overlooks the Pacific Ocean in the coastal town of Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California.
After 16 years living in a century old traditional Craftsmen, the opportunity arose to design, build and sell a four-home development on an abandoned construction site just up the road. The goal being to finally have his family live in one of his designs. The development strategy (which took 5 years from design to completion) broke the project into two phases allowing Farrow to sell as he built, lessening the cost of borrowing. By being the architect, builder, and developer, Farrow was able to have near complete artistic control of the finished product and greater economic autonomy.
The design is inspired by the site, climate, and its coastal setting. The cast-in-place concrete is an outgrowth of the sloping site’s need to retain the sandy earth to create terraced home plots. The cedar siding ages in graceful manner by accepting the inevitable change that comes from a high impact oceanic environment. The metal cladding further seals in the home, protecting it from powerful winter Pacific storms.
The project is unified through the building materials palette however each home has a unique floor plan, interiors and oriented to maximize views to the Pacific.
The homes’ design also takes advantage of passive heating from the low winter sun and easy, cool summer sea breezes with little to no need for heating and cooling.
The interiors express an honesty in the natural materials including exposed wood beam ceilings, exposed concrete walls, and “blackened” concrete slabs, all left as a finish for the home.
Floor to ceiling windows allow for spectacular surfer, dolphin and occasional whale watching. Sunsets are the main event every day with long enjoyments of the changing twilight sky.
The home office has a separate entrance to host clients and oversized windows for brightly lit design studio space. Two desks for the husband/wife team sit perpendicular to built-in flat files and storage. Surfboards, space to change and a shower make afternoon sessions easy. Guests also stay here.
The Farrow home also features a “spool” (part spa, part pool) deep enough for treading water and a quick dunk year-round. A concealed fire pit at the spool adds to the sociability.
Brett Farrow Architect Inc. was founded in 2002 and has designed, built and developed a variety of projects in North County San Diego ranging from commercial/mixed use projects to multi-family residential and custom homes.
Team:
Architect: Brett Farrow Architect, Inc.
Partner (Interiors/Lighting): Heidi Farrow
Tile Collective (Tile): Devon Wilson
Photo credits: Auda & Auda Photography + Connor Newton Photography + Tomografica Photography + Doug Roubichaud Photography
Material Used:
1. Facade cladding: Western Red Cedar 1x6 select tight knot, tongue & groove
2. Flooring: Brazilian Oak & Blackened Concrete Slab
3. Doors: Fleetwood
4. Windows: Fleetwood
5. Roofing: TPO Membrane
6. Interior lighting: Various
7. Interior furniture: Various, (sourced from Design Within Reach)
8. Cast In Place, Board Form Concrete, Aluminum Cladding
