Wave House: fluid architecture mirroring the rhythm of the ocean
Archetype Design Collective
House
/
Future
The idea for Wave House emerged from its Pacific Palisades site, where hidden ocean views and the nearby Topanga Point surf break inspired a fluid architectural form that mirrors the rhythm of waves. The concept explores how structure can evoke the sensation of being inside a wave—both emotionally and spatially—while meeting the demands of fire resilience, strict zoning, and view protections. A sculptural EFTE roof became the project's defining gesture, enabling reduced structural weight and daylight-rich interiors. Point cloud data guided the siting to preserve land contours and integrate architecture with climate and lifestyle.
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Wave House sits in a low-density Pacific Palisades neighborhood where height limits and protected ocean views demand discretion in design. The area’s wildfire risk—amplified by a major 2025 fire—also shaped the project. Using point cloud data, the home was precisely sited to minimize land disruption, retain two original exterior walls, and preserve grandfathered setbacks. Its sculptural EFTE roof echoes the nearby surf break and adapts to the terrain. At ground level, a stone walking surface recalls the ocean floor, deepening the building’s sensory connection to its coastal landscape.
Wave House integrates sustainability through its use of a lightweight EFTE roof system, which combines insulation and weather protection in a single membrane. This material reduces structural load, foundation size, and embodied carbon, while shortening construction time and cost. Sited using point cloud data, the design minimizes land disturbance and preserves existing walls, reducing waste and protecting grandfathered setbacks. Passive strategies include daylighting, cross ventilation, and a biophilic indoor garden. Though unbuilt, the project aligns with LEED principles and was conceived as a climate-resilient prototype for coastal, fire-prone environments.
Wave House is defined by its fluid EFTE roof, which serves as both an expressive architectural gesture and a sustainable envelope system. The translucent membrane allows soft daylight to flood the interiors while reducing structural demands. A semi-indoor garden and water feature anchor the entry, blurring the boundary between inside and out. Above the living area, a structural glass floor supports an attic greenhouse, imagined as a climate-controlled herb garden, visible from below like a floating landscape. Swiss-crafted radius glass doors open onto a terrace with an infinity-edge pool and integrated fire elements. An acrylic skylight within the pool doubles as a reflective water feature and a light well for the Wellness Center below. White sculpted walls and leathered stone flooring evoke the sandy ocean floor, while the curving roof recalls the sensation of being 'inside the wave'—offering shelter, serenity, and a spatial homage to the Pacific.
The client’s vision and trust empowered us to pursue an uncharted architectural path—one that challenged convention and embraced the unknown. Their openness allowed us to articulate a spatial idea not yet tested: a residence shaped by fluid form, material innovation, and environmental intent. Wave House remains a conceptual prototype, but its possibilities continue to unfold. We remain optimistic that this vision will one day be realized, serving as both a built work and a future paradigm.
Pacific Palisades
California, USA
Confidential
Residential
01/2028
352 sq. m
Confidential
Archetype Design Collective (James Wurster, Jonathan Wurster)
Archetype Design Collective (Mujeebur Rehman, James Wurster, Jonathan Wurster)
T. R. Wurster Construction Co. Inc.
Archetype Design Collective
LP Corporation, Skyframe, Solution 7, Vector Foiltec
Archetype Design Collective
Bio
Archetype Design Collective is a multidisciplinary architecture studio deeply influenced by the ocean and the natural forces that shape the California coast. The Principal—an avid surfer, diver, and fisherman—draws from lived experience in aquatic environments to inform spatial narratives rooted in fluidity, immersion, and natural rhythm. Much of the studio’s work explores how architecture can harmonize with landscape, view, and climate. Sustainability is not treated as an afterthought but as a core design tool—especially in fire-prone regions like Pacific Palisades. Wave House was conceived with fire resilience, site preservation, and emotional connection in mind. When the Palisades Fire devastated the area, the urgency of this design approach was affirmed—reinforcing the studio’s belief that architecture must protect, respond, and inspire.
