Santa Barbara Residence | Barton Myers Associates

Situated on a 10-acre, ocean-view property in the Santa Barbara hillside, the Santa Barbara Residence is Barton Myers’ 5th built steel house and continues the firm’s investigations with utilizing non-traditional, industrial building materials in a residential context. The 5,000 sf single-family residence is designed on a single, ground floor level for a family of four. Conceived as a luxurious warehouse for living, the home’s plan includes a large live-in kitchen, dining and living room – each opening to a grand covered porch. A long partition wall separates three bedrooms, bathrooms, a pantry, media room, storage and a courtyard from the other shared living spaces. Guest quarters are located near the covered path along the main entry hallway. Interior and exterior spaces are seamlessly integrated throughout. A north-facing courtyard, oriented towards the Santa Barbara mountains, serves as a quiet oasis and Zen garden, while the kitchen’s eastern patio is designed as the family’s outdoor dining and barbecue area. Exposed concrete floors and structural steel give the design a simple, industrial aesthetic. Building materials are accented by a muted palette of finish colors derived from the surrounding landscape. A covered porch and terrace are the home’s focal point, allowing the main living space to completely open to the landscape beyond by means of motorized, overhead doors. The mild climate allows these doors to be open for a substantial portion of the year. Operable, north-facing clearstory windows negated the need for air-conditioning by taking advantage of ocean breezes. Radiant floor heating ensure that the house is comfortable during the colder months. The property was previously the site of “The Monastery” a rambling vernacular house built in 1935 by famed conductor Leopold Stowkoski. In reverence to the site’s noted historical figures, which also included Beryl Markham and Greta Garbo, two of the original fireplaces were purposely rebuilt as garden features. One fireplace, in the shape of the Hollywood Bowl shell, forms a fire pit facing both the house and the historical gardens, and serves as an outdoor lounge and gathering area. The second fireplace, in the form of a pipe organ, frames the kitchen’s outdoor patio and provides warmth for outdoor dining.