San Clemente ADU
Client
Expertise
Location
Status
Completion Year
Design Finish Year
San Clemente ADU
Full Architectural Design, Permit Process, City Approvals, Structural Engineering, Interiors, Exteriors
San Clemente, California
Permitted
N/A
2025
House of Cliff
The homeowner is passionate about surfing and sailing—surfing every morning and taking his boat out to sea in the afternoon. His wife, on the other hand, loves cooking and the comforts of home. In my design, I wove these two very different lifestyles into the architecture, creating a “home between mountain and sea” that embraces the Pacific Ocean views while offering the tranquility of its hillside setting. Notably, although city regulations set an 800-square-foot limit on building area, we achieved an actual usable interior space of 1,600 square feet through thoughtful and efficient design integration.
As Wright once said, “No house should ever be on a hill or on anything. It should be of the hill.” We hope for this home to take root in the mountainside, its terraces extending toward the ocean, lightly floating within nature. It creates a transparent, fluid boundary of living between the mountain and the sea.
​The entire structure unfolds in response to the steep terrain. The main house does not cut into the hillside; instead, it is elevated on caissons to preserve the natural landform. A large cantilevered terrace, shaped with soft curved corners, echoes the contours of the valley while opening the view toward the Pacific Ocean to the greatest extent.​
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Through extended horizontal eaves, continuous ribbon windows, and folding glass doors, the design expresses a strong horizontal visual language. These elements bring sunlight, air, and nature indoors, creating a seamless connection between the living areas and the terrace.​​