Views From The Top
by Miriam Raftery
Photography by David Hewitt/Anne Garrisonl

Standing guard like a sentinel atop Mount Soledad in La Jolla, a spectacular contemporary residence overlooks breath-taking views of coastal canyons and the shimmering sea beyond.

“This has the most dramatic views of any coastal home,” says the homeowner, a commercial real estate developer who asked to remain anonymous. “On a clear day, after a Santa Ana, you can see for a hundred miles or more.”

Floor-to-ceiling windows in the home’s top-story great room provide spectacular vistas spanning the coast from the Village of La Jolla to Oceanside. Panoramic views extend eastward to the Cuyamaca Mountains and westward to the San Clemente Islands and beyond. Glass rails off exterior decks assure unimpeded views, creating the dizzying illusion of floating in mid-air. 

The homeowner asked his college roommate, internationally-famed architect William Rawn of Boston, to create an innovative floor plan and dramatic architectural elements to complement the home’s imposing locale.

Recipient of the 2004 Honor Award in Architecture from the American Institute of Architects, Rawn is best known as a designer of commercial buildings. His award-winning student tower at Northeastern University was heralded by the Boston Globe as “the most elegant high-rise in Boston since the Hancock Tower of a generation ago.”  Rawn also designed Ozawa Hall, home to the Boston Symphony and Tanglewood Music Festival. The barrel-roofed concert hall has been heralded by a reviewer in New York magazine as “probably the handsomest and most acoustically impressive in the country.”

For Rawn, who was accustomed to designing buildings for colder climates, creating a Southern California residence offered new opportunities to exercise his creativity. “He had never done something as contemporary as this,” notes the homeowner, who worked closely with Rawn to create a floor plan that would maximize light and airiness through use of architectural minimalism.

“The architect and I rented a cherry picker and came up to this elevation,” he recalls. “When we saw how unobstructed the view would be, we decided all of the main living space would be on the top floor.”

Rawn divided the 5,500 square-foot residence into three pavilions, each with its own distinctive roofline. A stair-stepped pyramid element inspired by a Mayan temple crowns the family room. A hipped roof tops the kitchen and a barrel-vaulted ceiling completes the home’s western section. Composed of lead-coated copper, the roofing is designed to last for a century or more. To maximize views, the architect also angled strategic portions of the residence.

“It had to be a welcoming experience to get up to the main living area,” notes the homeowner, standing at the base of a sweeping limestone stairway broken up by a series of platform landings. Contemporary artwork adds splashes of color to the home’s foyer and stairwell. “These works are mostly by local artists we wanted to support, including some whom we commissioned to create works for this space,” says the homeowner’s wife, who works for the Museum of Contemporary Art. “My husband and I have traveled a lot, and we are always most impressed with very simple, modern homes that show off art the best.” In the daytime, skylights fill the space with light, while sinuous snake lights illuminate the artwork after dark.

An innovative architectural bridge spans the stairwell, connecting pavilions on the home’s upper level. “It took months to get approval for this from the city. There had never been glass as a walking surface here,” the homeowner recalls. A pair of inch-thick panes of etched glass with a clear membrane sandwiched in between form the walking surface. Stainless steel rods hidden beneath etched glass provide added support.

At the top of the stairs, an expansive great room fills the home’s top floor, including family room, living room, kitchen, and dining areas. Minimalist white and cream furnishings keep attention focused on views visible through towering walls of glass, contrasting against a pigmented gray plaster wall.

Glass doors slide open to admit ocean breezes. “You really can feel the outside come in,” says the homeowner’s wife, who appreciates the illusion of the home receding, emphasizing natural surroundings. She also savors the flow of light and air throughout the residence. “On even the hottest days, we don’t need air conditioning,” she notes.

Post-free glass rails on decks off the great room were innovations ahead of their time. Metal sleeves hidden beneath a limestone deck support the glass panels. Ten years ago, when construction began, the city had to be persuaded to approve the concept of glass rails, which suit the home’s minimalist style.

By day, the homeowners savor views of sparkling ocean waters, sandstone coastal bluffs and lush, green canyons. After dark, the house takes on a fairy-tale appeal, suspended above twinkling city lights. “On the Fourth of July, we usually have a lot of people here,” says the homeowner’s wife. “We can watch seven sets of fireworks up and down the coast.”

The home’s upper-level great room is ideally suited for entertaining guests. A dual-sided glass fireplace with floating hearth separates living and dining areas. Low-voltage cable lighting with shell-like fixtures appears to float above the dining table. 

The kitchen is functional, durable, and beautiful — with ample room to cook up dinner for a crowd. “This kitchen gets a great workout,” the homeowner says. Appliances include a commercial-grade, six-burner Wolf cooktop, three ovens and two dishwashers accentuated by black granite countertops and Siemetic wood cabinetry from Germany.

Entrances to the master suite and a guest bedroom are tucked discreetly beneath the home’s central staircase. Across the hall, a media room features a big-screen TV, state-of-the-art surround sound, triple-drywall for soundproofing, and a closet filled with the homeowner’s collection of vintage records.

Stairs off the foyer lead downward to a sauna and outdoor deck, where a lap pool is lined by graceful colonnades. A lower story houses rooms for the couple’s three children, now grown. Below, a basement doubles as recreation room, with billiards and ping pong tables. As a finishing touch, a climate-controlled wine cellar holds up to 10,000 bottles of the couple’s favorite vintages.

Though now a decade old, the residence retains a timeless appeal that the homeowners hope to share someday with their grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

“It’s a legacy to have a house as beautiful as this,” the homeowner’s wife concludes. “We are very proud of it.”

Resources:
Architect:
William Rawn, William Rawn Associates, Architects, Inc., Boston.
Assistant architects: 
Mark Christopher and Sam Chereskin, San Diego
Landscape architect: 
Bill Burton, Burton & Associates
Lighting Design:
Francis Krahe
General Contractor: 
Ritschel Construction