MB Hill Residence

  • Set within the Hill Section of Manhattan Beach, this residence is conceived as a private retreat within the city; a quiet, inward-facing home that offers refuge from the pace of public life. Designed for a couple whose careers keep them constantly in motion, the house becomes a grounding presence, surrounded by a lush landscape that blurs the edge between structure and garden.

    Occupying two adjoining lots, the project is arranged as a series of buildings pushed to the perimeter, forming a large, planted courtyard at its center. This inward orientation establishes privacy while maintaining openness within, creating a space that’s more sanctuary than statement. Originally envisioned as a timber-clad home with exposed structure, the design evolved through collaboration with the clients into a whitewashed masonry composition. The shift brought calm and permanence to the exterior, balancing the warmth of natural materials and the surrounding landscape.

    The main residence unfolds across three levels, each supporting a distinct rhythm of daily life. Upstairs are four bedrooms, including a generous primary suite with its own planted deck and a shared study area for the children. On the main level, a long kitchen island catches the morning sun while a family room and breakfast nook open to the courtyard beyond. The formal living and dining spaces are designed to extend outward as a prow facing the landscape, their multi-slide doors disappearing into the walls sheltering the patio from the public while dissolving the boundary between indoors and out.

    Below, the lower level becomes the social heart of the home — a relaxed environment for gathering and play. A curved plaster stair ties all floors together, leading down to a sequence of spaces for entertainment: a theater with stepped seating, a lounge and bar area, and a golf simulator suite that can be closed off for sound and safety.

    Across the courtyard, a second structure completes the composition. A pool house with its own kitchen and lounge opens entirely to the patio, creating a seamless connection for summer gatherings. Adjacent, a light-filled gym and wellness area include a sauna, cold plunge, and indoor–outdoor shower, while a guest suite is situated above the garage at the north end of the property.

    The surrounding landscape ties both properties together, designed as a loose, natural tapestry of olive trees and native grasses that is structured by wooden steps and decomposed-granite paths that lend order while maintaining a sense of the wild.

    Together, the two buildings form a unified retreat — connected by garden, texture, and light. The result is a home that balances opposites; openness and enclosure, city and retreat. It offers a sense of space shaped by stillness, family, and the quiet movement of nature.

  • Architect: Laney LA
    Interior Design: Balton Design
    Structural Engineer: Riverstone Structural Solutions
    General Contractor: RJ Smith Construction

  • The timber-clad concept featured exposed rafters and warm tones that blended naturally into the hillside landscape.

    The original timber-clad concept featured exposed rafters and warm tones that blended naturally into the hillside landscape.

  • The original timber scheme revealed open terraces and deep overhangs that merged seamlessly with the landscape and pool terrace.

  • The original pool house featured wood and stone materials with large openings connecting directly to the terrace.

  • The refined white masonry design introduces calm and permanence while preserving the home’s warmth through wood detailing.

  • A continuous brick façade and layered plantings conceal the courtyard within, maintaining privacy along the street.

  • The masonry version reinterprets the form with vine-covered walls and warm wood accents that open to the pool.

  • An arched gate and detached garage frame a quiet rear court of the potting bench, softened by vines and natural textures.

  • The pool house and gym adopt the white masonry palette, unified by soft planting and natural light.

  • From above, the main house and pool house form a courtyard retreat defined by landscape, texture, and light.