This appealing sanctuary of a home by architect Steve Harris, who recently gave Barneys New York in Beverly Hills a makeover, is nestled in a rocky cliff above Los Cabos. The unusual home takes the natural lighting and the landscape and combines it with design and construction technology to result in a peaceful synthesis that is both inviting and unique.
Embedded and derived from its site as opposed to imposed upon it, the horseshoe shaped home embraces the rocky outcrop and boasts a rock garden, a pavilion that faces the ocean and a 25 foot long swimming pool in addition the home itself.
An unusual Bertoia sculpture graces the rock garden in the courtyard:
The natural rock formations form many of the walls inside and outside of the home:
The home’s pavilion, which sits atop the office, has a roof design which hangs over the cliff, actually amplifying the sound of the ocean:
The living room faces the ocean and is attached to a corridor with a sliding glass wall, opening the home to the courtyard:
Unique design touches bring the outdoor natural light and its reflection indoors, such as the small glass inserts in the walls of the halls and bedroom which create dancing light in the interior of the home:
The shallow pools of water outside the lower windows create reflections of light on the walls and ceilings:
A bathroom with glass sink has a 4 inch wide tall window above it brings light into the hall and allows a view of the horizon:
The home’s office is located underneath the Pavilion and opens to the pool area:
The master bedroom has one natural rock wall and a wall with little glass inserts:
The pool is 25 feet long and juts out over the cliff:
More structural details bring the outdoors inside such as the inset pivoting glass window in one of the showers that allows one to focus on the horizon, removing the space between viewer and view:
A vintage 1970s Murano glass chandelier from Venice was recalibrated and hung with a new frame by an artist in the dining room.
The house is filled with custom touches such as the cast bronze door hardware shown below, made specifically for the house:
It’s a nice life at Casa Finisterra. The owners of the house have a full staff including cooks and house managers. When they arrive for a visit, they are picked up by a member of the staff and brought to the home where cocktails are waiting and the home is perfectly prepped for their visit.
Architectural plans:
Architects: Steven Harris Architects
Location: Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Photography: Scott Frances, Etso Photographics
Interiors: Rees Roberts + Partners LLC Landscape architect: Margie Ruddick
About Steven Harris Architects LLP
Established in 1985, Steven Harris Architects is an award-winning firm with extensive and varied experience in both public and private commissions. Offering interior and landscape design in addition to comprehensive architectural services, the firm’s projects are integrated and cohesive. The firm takes a collaborative approach to design, and because the design process is individually tailored to the site, context, and the client’s program, each project is unique. Renowned for impeccably crafted and expertly managed projects, the firm is particularly adept at navigating the complex approvals process of cooperative boards, the NYC Department of Buildings, and the Landmarks Preservation Commission.
Recent works include the design of an eco resort in Guatemala; a luxury residential building on Bond Street in Manhattan; and private residences in New York City, the Hamptons, California, India, and South Africa. The firm has received several AIA awards as well as Interior Design Best of Year in 2007, 2009, and 2010. Steven Harris, also Professor of Architecture at Yale, was inducted into the Interior Design Hall of Fame in 2008.
The firm’s work has been published widely in periodicals – including Architectural Digest, The Wall Street Journal, Interior Design, Vanity Fair, The New York Times, World of Interiors, Town & Country, Details, New York, House and Garden, Newsweek, and Elle Décor – and books, including Restoring a House in the City, Tropical Modern, Waterfront Retreats, and The New American Dream. The firm’s first monograph, True Life (Princeton Architectural Press, 2010) explores the connection between their architecture and the lived experience.
Steven Harris Architects.
images courtesy of the architect. some are stills from their video.