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Alma Switch House: Towards New Coastal Architecture

A project that redefines urban residential living by making a courtyard the key source of openness, efficiency, and connection with the environment

Brooks + Scarpa

Alma Switch House in Manhattan Beach
By Editorial Staff -

Occupying a compact lot measuring just 9 x 27 m in the heart of Manhattan Beach, California, Brooks + Scarpa designed Alma Switch House for a couple with three children. Despite its small footprint, the project is a bright, permeable three-story home that establishes a direct relationship with the urban context and the nearby ocean, just a few blocks away.

 

Alma Switch House: A residence in dialogue with its context

Alma Switch House ©Lawrence Scarpa, courtesy of Brooks + Scarpa

©Lawrence Scarpa, courtesy of Brooks + Scarpa

The project is located in an area in which strict ordinances and regulations limit height, volume, and buildable area. Over time, these tight constraints have produced a recurring housing typology, characterized by solid, compact volumes. In response, Brooks + Scarpa adopted the opposite approach whereby, instead of filling the lot with solid building mass, the firm used voids to create a sense of openness that fine-tunes the architecture to both the streetscape and climate.Alma Switch House ©Tara Wujcik, courtesy of Brooks + Scarpa

©Tara Wujcik, courtesy of Brooks + Scarpa

The heart of the project is a multipurpose central courtyard, around which the levels of the home are arranged. This central void becomes the visual and environmental fulcrum of the design, providing both varied interior views and a sense of protected privacy. With each room overlooking this open space, they benefit from abundant natural light and cross-ventilation from the ocean breezes.Alma Switch House ©Lawrence Scarpa, courtesy of Brooks + Scarpa

©Lawrence Scarpa, courtesy of Brooks + Scarpa

The main rooms are designed for entertaining, while their large sliding windows dissolve the boundaries between inside and out, making the house permeable and flexible. Balconies and terraces integrate seamlessly into the composition, creating an ongoing dialogue between interior and exterior.

 

A delicate palette and a façade that shifts between privacy and light

Alma Switch House ©Tara Wujcik, courtesy of Brooks + Scarpa

©Tara Wujcik, courtesy of Brooks + Scarpa

 

On the east side of the home, an anodized aluminum three-dimensional screen wall shields the interiors from the street, while creating an elegant balance between privacy and openness. Conceived as an active element of the project, this wall evolves through the day, reflecting sunlight, casting shifting shadows, and giving the façade a vibrant, ever-changing appearance.Alma Switch House ©Tara Wujcik, courtesy of Brooks + Scarpa

©Tara Wujcik, courtesy of Brooks + Scarpa

Inside, the home features an understated yet luminous aesthetic composed of warm materials and essential finishes. Light timber floorboards harmonize with crisp white walls and furnishings in gentle shades of cream and dove gray to create a balanced environment in tune with the laid-back mood of its coastal setting.Alma Switch House ©Tara Wujcik, courtesy of Brooks + Scarpa

©Tara Wujcik, courtesy of Brooks + Scarpa

Finally, through the careful use of passive design strategies — including natural ventilation, shading, and orientation – Alma Switch House is much more energy efficient than conventional buildings and over 40% more efficient than California Title 24.

 

>>> Discover The Cove, designed by Brooks + Scarpa in California

 

Alma Switch House ©Tara Wujcik, courtesy of Brooks + Scarpa

©Tara Wujcik, courtesy of Brooks + Scarpa

©Tara Wujcik, courtesy of Brooks + Scarpa ©Tara Wujcik, courtesy of Brooks + Scarpa

©Tara Wujcik, courtesy of Brooks + Scarpa

©Lawrence Scarpa, courtesy of Brooks + Scarpa ©Lawrence Scarpa, courtesy of Brooks + Scarpa

©Lawrence Scarpa, courtesy of Brooks + Scarpa

©Lawrence Scarpa, courtesy of Brooks + Scarpa ©Lawrence Scarpa, courtesy of Brooks + Scarpa

©Lawrence Scarpa, courtesy of Brooks + Scarpa

©Lawrence Scarpa, courtesy of Brooks + Scarpa ©Lawrence Scarpa, courtesy of Brooks + Scarpa

©Lawrence Scarpa, courtesy of Brooks + Scarpa

Credits

Location: Manhattan Beach, California, USA
Completion: 2024
Architect: Brooks + Scarpa
Area: 368,35 sq. m
Main Contractor: PD Construction, Peter Borrego

Consultants
Structural: Paniagua
MEP: Antieri & Sotelo Consulting
Civil: Coastal Water Development
Landscape: Plan(t) Landscape

Photography by Tara Wujcik/ Lawrence Scarpa, courtesy of Brooks + Scarpa

Cover image ©Lawrence Scarpa, courtesy of Brooks + Scarpa

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