My Point of View #07 - David Montalba

Architect David Montalba was born in Switzerland, but grew up in California. He became a passionate surfer, bobbing in the waves of the Pacific— staring at the land, yet always feeling and hearing the ocean around him; profoundly connected to nature. “I was surfing by the time I was 12 or 13, and it was my driving force probably all the way up to 18 or 19,” he notes. “It brought a kind of spirituality to my life. That was when I felt most connected to nature and I was truly with myself… It’s still a really special thing for me. It’s one of those things that can both ground you and connect you with nature in a unique way.”

This sense of intimate, spiritual connection to one’s surroundings drives Montalba’s architecture. Yes, it is beautiful—filled with elegant forms, materials and details. But its core is human experience. “Curating an emotional response is a big part of what we do,” he says, sitting in the glowing, serene living room of his Graoni Beach House, sited on a secluded Malibu beach, edging an eclectic, colorful bluff.

The home, clad in black Shou Sugi Ban planks and raised on pillars above the beach, like a pier, emphasizes the land and the sea; the movement of waves offsetting the solidity of the building and its surroundings. It recreates the feeling Montalba had as a surfer—that sense of being both free and enveloped by the water, the land and the coast. All is precisely calibrated to create a warm, refined sense of well-being; a spiritual connection to the site.

Inside it is a case study in welcoming, masterful harmony; uniting disparate materials, surfaces, and hues while carefully balancing contrasting forces—heft and lightness, openness and protection, elegance and informality. “It’s much like the ocean and the sand and the rocks have these contrasting textures and feelings that really tie together,” notes Montalba. “It’s very much about listening to the site.” And to the client, fashion executives Tony Graham and Dierdre Roffoni. “They're thinkers, they're creative,” says Montalba. “They want to feel like they're in nature. They also travel a lot, and when they're together with their family, they just want to be together. A level of closeness was an important part of thinking about the home.” “So there are dramatic , open spaces, and there are spaces that are more conducive to how one wants to be embraced within a home,” he adds.

A compressed entryway leads to a capacious living room/dining room/kitchen, pulling you toward horizontally framed views of the ocean via generous Sky-Frame doors—which strike a strong presence yet somehow disappear— with an extending metal-edged balcony beyond. A heavy stone fireplace partially shields the ocean view, providing a sense of primeval heft; a focal point that merges informal craft with precise detailing. “It's a very monolithic element. And when you first come in the home, that's what greets you directly. And that's a sort of forceful moment, as architecture,” says Montalba. “It’s in contrast to what might one might think of at a beachside home.”

Montalba’s experience in Switzerland, where he still spends much of his time, further informs his approach to connecting with nature. There, he notes, it’s about the tall trees, mountains, and sparkling lakes; skiing or hiking instead of surfing. Natural materials and craft. “In Switzerland, there's much more of a tradition of apprenticing to a craft and, and I think that's something we need more of here.” The home’s handcrafted stone components blend with its extensive wood surfaces, which Montalba describe as “a unique opportunity to bring in warmth into a home.” Montalba loves “the subtle nuances between the textures and tones.” He adds: “Sometimes they’re a little off. I think that's about being honest about what they are, and not trying to make it perfect. I think that helps bring a casualness to the house that we thought was important.”

Exposed, sandblasted fir and oak beams and columns, filling the space with a warm, gentle casualness, alternately stretch the space and lead your eye to the ocean, lending artful syncopation via their striated forms and soft, undulating grains. Large windows open views to the bluff, to the south. Douglas fir floor boards, warmed by radiant heat, are a pleasure to feel when shoeless. A long marble kitchen island anchors the north edge. A cave-like den offers a quick moment of solitude. The combination of serenity and vigor—enclosed and exposed space, sweeping elements and intricate details, muted tones and strong textures— makes the home a peaceful, meditative retreat that nonetheless fascinates the eye and body. “You can’t help but recharge when you’re here,” says Montalba. “You hear the waves. You feel the spaces, and the site, enveloping you.”

A stair leading to the second floor, softly illuminated via wrapping clerestories (which also pull warm air out of the house) is folded with millwork bookcases, allowing the owners to inject their love of art, design and literature; their personalities; mementos and photos of their family. “We’re creating a framework for our clients,” says Montalba. “A canvas for life.” On the second floor, wide views to the ocean are again enhanced by oversized terraces; the master bath directs views again to the bluff—a peaceful but invigorating scene of rocks, lichen, matted grasses, cypress. “You could go up and down the coast, and find plenty of sites with views of the ocean. But I think to be able to have the duality of both the ocean and the bluff simultaneously is truly unique and special. And literally, in this case, grounding,” says Montalba. “The house is on piles and, and frankly, can move and it may move. But that bluff will not move.”

“We’ve done quite a few homes on the California coastline,” he adds. “But I think this is the most uniquely situated… A beachside house needs to embrace its surroundings’ elemental qualities. “The essence of architecture has a lot to do with how we feel in a space. It’s that warmth you feel or the energy that it gives you. We crafted the home to celebrate that … Architecture helps frame one’s life …the way we see the world … this house has both a sense of calmness to it, but also this sense of extension and aspiration that allows you to reflect on your life while also thinking about the future.” Which brings Montalba back to the ocean, and his love of surfing. “I think surfing evokes this sort of notion of one's place in a living, moving environment. Architecture is that fixed element within nature around it, which is in motion and fluid. .. It’s like the experience of riding a wave or diving underneath a wave and coming up. It's very much about connection to all the senses. These are really special moments that really inspire and motivate us in the work we do.”

Film:Borís Noir / Text: Sam Lubell