From desert courtyards to coastal glass houses — what ten standout Californian homes teach us about building with sun, wind and view.
Californian modernism endures because it starts with climate. Deep overhangs shade glass from high summer sun, courtyards pull breezes through the plan, and rooms open fully to gardens for eight months of the year. The ten homes we survey all share this discipline: orientation first, expression second.
The lesson for our own work is restraint. A limited palette of warm timber, pale render and dark bronze lets landscape do the talking, while carefully placed shade keeps glass walls comfortable without heavy cooling. Build with the sun and the view follows.