American architecture firm Donaldson+ Partners were presented with a tricky but enticing challenge when designing the Skyline Residence in Santa Barbara, California. Their client, an industrial designer with a young family, wanted a modern home that made the most of its setting while responding carefully to a narrow hillside site and a tightly woven suburban context.
Rather than spreading out, the architects chose to build upwards. The result is a three storey home that carefully stacks its functions, saving the most dramatic experience for the very top.
A Modern Home Designed for a Hillside Site
The Skyline Residence sits on a narrow plot carved into a hillside. Zoning rules, site constraints and neighbouring homes all shaped the final form, pushing the architects to think vertically rather than horizontally.
To respond to these limitations, the architects designed a concrete and steel structural frame that could be carefully wedged into place. This approach allowed the house to fully occupy the site while remaining visually responsive to its surroundings, turning restrictions into a defining feature of the design.
Concrete, Steel and Ipe Wood Shape the Structure
Because of the home’s complex form, the architects limited the material palette to a small group of robust finishes. Concrete and steel form the structural backbone, while wood and glass soften the experience and connect the home to its coastal setting.
Ipe wood screens wrap parts of the exterior, helping to control sunlight and reduce heat gain through the large windows. These screens also play a role in passive cooling, working alongside ocean breezes to keep the interior comfortable without relying heavily on mechanical systems.
A Ground Level Tucked Into the Landscape
The lowest level of the Skyline Residence is partially buried into the hillside. This level houses the garage and laundry, keeping service spaces discreet and out of the main living areas.
By pushing these functions into the ground, the architects were able to reserve the upper levels for daily life and views, while also helping the home sit more comfortably within its sloping site.
A Staircase That Brings Light Through the House
At the centre of the home is a staircase that cuts vertically through all three levels. More than just a circulation route, it becomes a light well thanks to a skylight positioned above.
Daylight filters down through the stair, illuminating the interior from within and reducing the need for artificial lighting during the day. This central feature helps unify the home, visually and spatially connecting each floor.
Living on the Top Floor With Ocean Views
The journey up the stairs ends at the heart of the home. The top floor is dedicated entirely to the kitchen and main living areas, a deliberate choice made to capture panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean.
From this elevated position, the living spaces look south and west, opening the home to sweeping ocean vistas and coastal light. Ocean breezes naturally flow through the space, reinforcing the home’s passive cooling strategy and encouraging an indoor outdoor lifestyle.
Outdoor patios extend the living areas, ensuring that every part of the site is used as living space, whether inside or out.
A Carefully Crafted Client Architect Collaboration
The homeowner, an industrial designer, was deeply invested in the design process and sought a thoughtful, highly detailed outcome for his young family. From the beginning, he and the architects shared aligned design values, setting the stage for a collaborative and productive working relationship.
That shared vision is evident throughout the Skyline Residence, from its structural clarity to its carefully considered response to site, climate and daily family life.
By placing the living room at the very top, the Skyline Residence turns conventional house planning on its head. What could have been a difficult hillside plot instead becomes an opportunity, delivering light and views.