HUNTINGTON STREET HOMES

Along a quiet stretch of Huntington Street, two slender three‑story residences rise with a quiet confidence that belies the tightness of their coastal lots. Designed as a pair yet composed with individual nuance, the homes reinterpret the vertical beach house as a study in light, proportion, and disciplined modernism. Where most narrow‑lot infill settles for efficiency, these homes pursue something far more ambitious: a spatial experience defined by generosity, sculptural movement, and a surprising sense of calm.

The moment the front door opens, the architecture reveals its intent. A soaring double‑height entry dissolves the expected compression of the footprint, pulling daylight deep into the plan and establishing a serene, gallery‑like atmosphere. From there, a two‑story stair hall stretches along the length of the home, illuminated by a continuous skylight that casts shifting patterns of sun throughout the day. The stair becomes a vertical promenade—part circulation, part architectural event—transforming the home’s narrowness into a poetic, light‑filled spine.

At the street, each residence embraces the neighborhood with a generous front patio, a contemporary nod to the coastal porch culture that defines the area. It’s a space designed for casual conversation, morning coffee, and the easy social rhythm of a walkable community. This gesture of openness softens the modern lines of the architecture, grounding the homes in their context while maintaining a refined, urban sensibility.

Materially, the homes strike a balance between precision and warmth. ACM metal panels wrap the upper volumes in crisp, tailored planes, their subtle sheen catching the coastal light. In contrast, Western Red Cedar shiplap introduces a natural softness, aging gracefully and adding depth to the façade. Projected box windows and carved‑out voids punctuate the elevations, creating a composition of minimalist folding planes that feel both sculptural and restrained. At the ground plane, board‑formed concrete site walls lend a tactile, handcrafted quality—an anchoring counterpoint to the refined metal and wood above.

Despite their modest square footage, the homes feel unexpectedly expansive. The vertical volumes, continuous skylighting, and elongated circulation sequence create a sense of flow that defies the constraints of the lots. Every move is deliberate, every detail pared back to its essence, allowing the architecture’s clarity to take center stage. The result is a pair of residences that live larger than their dimensions—homes that transform constraint into opportunity and elevate the narrow‑lot typology into something quietly extraordinary.