THE CHURCH
LAGUNA BEACH, CALIFORNIA 2018
In the 1970’s a modern structure of block and glass was built in a rural canyon surrounded by a nature preserve. An unusual and remote location for a church, the site feels worlds away from the nearby seaside village of Laguna Beach. Five decades later, when the vacant property was listed for sale, we saw an opportunity to repurpose the architecture of the church and create our forever home.
We knew the transformation would be a massive undertaking but also a project of passion. We were enthralled by the ecclesiastical scale of the building, its sweeping curved beams, expansive glass panels and clean modern lines.
Our intention was to stay true to the original design and spirit of the church while making it a sanctuary of our own.
The setting is ethereal. Natural, open space lends an expansive sense of freedom and direct connection to nature from every vantage.
Intentionally designed to draw one's focus inward, the original architecture veiled many of the expansive hillside and ocean vistas. Our first goal was to open the interior space to the outdoors. Working in close collaboration with architect Scott Laidlaw, this was achieved by removing a substantial portion of the building. The redacted footprint enabled natural light to pour into the space and provided a palpable connection to earth on all sides - creating a true indoor/outdoor sanctuary.
We chose to to celebrate the qualities of the original program and embrace the large-scale of the building, while introducing several practical living spaces. Various masses and vignettes were added to create living moments that feel intimate and inviting.
We kept the original pedestrian components of the church and worked with the split-faced block and concrete subfloors, scars and all. We embraced the wabi-sabi spirit of the earthy materials by adding honed granite, wood, iron brick and raw steel; each of which demonstrate the authentic hand of the artisan that crafted them.
The furnishings are an eclectic blend of vintage and custom designed pieces intended to instill a sense of lightness and ease. Tribal rugs, found objects and art reflect our love of adventure and world travel.
The palette throughout the design was directly pulled from the surrounding landscape. Earthy neutrals, saffron and greens weave seamlessly through the interiors and gardens.
The native buckwheat on the hillsides, which transforms into a deep rust color in the fall, served as the primary inspiration for the Cor-Ten steel used throughout the project.
