Bohemian Surf House home sits on Californian beachfront

Surf House by Feldman Architecture is in touch with its ocean-front setting

hero image of the Surf House among sand dunes and blue skies
(Image credit: Joe Fletcher)

A private family home commission in an unassiming neighbourhood led to a hidden jewel of a house in the city of Santa Cruz, California. Designed by Feldman Architecture, Surf House is a modern, bohemian home packed with character, sustainability credentials and connections with nature

Set right at the edge of one of the state’s best surf breaks, the house was conceived as a respectful, low-profile building. Its clean, modernist forms were created to be sensitive both to its immediate natural context and the community beyond, keeping a simple material palette.  

‘The home is sited as a wind break,' explain the architects. ‘The rear yard and deck capitalise on ocean views, while the entry and front courtyard, tucked behind two separate structures, sit where the sun shines most in the winter, acting as a warm, light-filled cloister all year round, protected from the coastal winds.'

sifting boards peeking out from living space at the Surf House

(Image credit: Joe Fletcher)

The architects worked with Evan Shively of Arborica, a local timber specialist that reclaims and repurposes native Californian timber. They used Monterey Cypress for the house, cladding it inside and out for a warm, textured feel. The wood creates an all-natural wrapper for the home. ‘Waste in the milling process was minimised by holistically integrating every level of wood grade into the design,' adds the team. Interiors were done by Commune Design and landscaping by Ground Studio. 

Spanning two levels, the house contains a range of more public-feeling, flowing spaces on the ground level. The living areas open towards the ocean through a glazed front, with courtyards, decked terraces, and sliding windows at every turn, ensuring that the landscape remains strongly present everywhere. Upstairs, the architects have placed the bedrooms, tucked away in a more private setting, while large windows frame picture-perfect views of the sea.

kitchen at the Surf House, looking tactile and bright with wood panelling

(Image credit: Joe Fletcher)

swimming pool and decked terrace at the Surf House in California

(Image credit: Joe Fletcher)

dining area looking out towards the sea at Surf House

(Image credit: Joe Fletcher)

bedroom looking out towards the ocean through wide picture windows at the Surf House in california

(Image credit: Joe Fletcher)

the open plan living space at the Surf House

(Image credit: Joe Fletcher)

Sleek and contemporary outdoors showers area at the Surf House in California

(Image credit: Joe Fletcher)

INFORMATION

feldmanarchitecture.com

Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).

With contributions from