Neal J.Z. Schwartz — Architect

“Focus on the enduring qualities of space, proportion, scale, and texture; the beauty of these things has no shelf life.”

— Neal J.Z. Schwartz, architect


After slipping into the home through its hard concrete shell, an expansive look across the courtyard garden’s towering oak trees reveals itself. At its heart, this is a classic California home that fosters the indoor-outdoor living its mild climate encourages. Within the U-shaped plan, a series of smaller courtyards create more specific microclimates within the site. Taking a page from the artist James Turrell’s Skyspaces, each of these mini courtyards has a roof oculus that frames the movement of clouds across the sky. Inside, all the public and private spaces are visually connected, with views throughout the home constantly unfolding. Moving through the building encourages exploration, discovering the richness of the interior while continually being drawn back to unexpected connections to nature.

As with most newer California homes, sustainability is embedded in every aspect of the design and its process. This includes a hyper-awareness of the passive cooling and heating, shading, and sun. From there, a focus on the use of sustainable, local materials results in a design that is simple yet elevated in its detailing. But beyond these measures, the aim is for a lasting architecture both attuned to its surroundings and a reflection of them.

Ultimately, the design goal is to use the “problem” to create the solution. This strategic thinking earns Schwartz and his team their creative freedom to produce new solutions from what is already embedded in the site, and truly reflective of those who will live there.

Photography by Bruce Damonte

Photography by Bruce Damonte

Photography by Bruce Damonte