Mark English — Architect

“A building is an artifact of process. It exhibits the needs and desires for living in a unique place on earth at a specific time in history. Culture, nature, and technology marry to allow this to happen.”

— Mark English, architect


Helping to create the sense of awe the homeowners requested is a custom-fabricated, two-story, circular stair of steel and glass that connects the two wings. An acrylic and steel bridge begins near one end of the stair landing and stretches 40 feet to the children’s bedroom wing. Fostering the stair and bridge from concept to reality was a huge undertaking. “The technical challenge of designing, detailing, and fabricating an object as complicated as a helical stair should not be underestimated,” English says.

Moreover, when the homeowner saw the staircase in the shop before the guardrail or finishes were added, she remarked that it was too small. “We all swallowed hard,” English says. “It had taken months of design and prototyping to get to that irretrievable point. After a pause, we were able to convince her it would feel perfect when finished. We were happily correct.”

During the design process, the homeowners brought in a feng shui expert who consulted on the proper arrangement and configurations of finishes and furnishings. The front (east) wall is the all-important receiving place for guests and family. There the interplay between yin and yang, weathering steel (entropy) and the mature olive tree (growth), empower the entrance. The entrance faces a T intersection in front of the house, and a planted oak tree joins the olive tree in slowing down the flow of energy into the home. The fireplace’s stone slab “Sacred Mountain” motif at the entrance symbolizes the eternal process of change and balance.

“This home does not have a bad side, angle, or composition,” English says. “It’s a beautiful and resolved design.”

Photography by Bruce Damonte

Photography by Bruce Damonte

Photography by Bruce Damonte