International Design Group

Cruisin' down Highway OneINTERNATIONAL DESIGN GROUPThis firm has designs all over the world, but some of their best work is closer to home – the rare and beautiful homes that sit perched over the Pacific Ocean.

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ON THE EDGE OFTHE WORLD

Th e impressive and impressively located residential designs out of International Design Group are like something out of a fairytale book – otherworldly and beautiful. Text by Paige L. HillPhotos by Richard Pharaoh Photography

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2 Architecture Leaders Today

THIS SPREAD: Hawk’s Nest Residence, Big Sur, Calif. The highly protected region along Highway One where the Pacific Ocean meets the Santa Lucia Mountains is not one where architects often get to design homes. The architect used natural materials, like Carmel stone, so as not to deter from the natural beauty.

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THIS PAGE: The house has a view from different angles with the lush, green mountains on one and the dramatic Pacific Ocean blue on the other. Architect Jun Sillano said that he worked so closely with the clients that the home ended up being more of a collaboration than a singular vision.

BELOW: Hawk’s Nest exterior at dusk.

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THIS PAGE: Hawk’s Nest. The dining room illustrates how the design’s emphasis on blending the interior with the exterior’s natural beauty is in the hands of the architect. The glass corners of the home create the illusion that there is nothing separating the viewer from the Pacific Ocean just beyond.

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As a child growing up in the Philippines, Jun A. Sillano, AIA often spent Catholic mass staring at the ceiling of the Spanish-

influenced church where his family attended – his eyes followed the lines of the beams and the inter-secting shapes the sections made.

“My love of architecture began with a fascina-tion of it,” Sillano said. “As I got older and traveled and got to understand the history behind all of these designs I had admired, I even more wanted to contribute to the history in some way.”

Today, Sillano contributes to architectural all over the world with the designs coming out of International Design Group where he serves as President, CEO and architect along with principal John E. Matthams. Though Sillano’s work has taken him to the Far East, Europe, North America, Middle East and back to the Philippines, but two of his more recent residential projects are located not

far from IDG’s headquarters since the mid-1980s in Pacific Grove, Calif.

“Working on the coast of California is a gift to an architect – the ocean, the mountains, the views. There is so much natural beauty,” Sillano said. Real estate agents and developers would confirm that the natural beauty is limited in California when it comes to finding property bordering on the Pacific Ocean, especially in the sparsely populated Big Sur area where the Santa Lucia Mountains rise abruptly from the ocean. The highly protected region along Highway One that is the backdrop for many car commercials, is mostly made up of state and national parks; moreover, most of the residents are descendants from original settlers. So when Sillano got the coveted chance to design a residence on the Big Sur coast, he didn’t think twice.

“This location provides panoramic ocean views, so the main task was how to take that all in and

ABOVE: Another perspective of the kitchen and dining area at The main hallway houses the couple’s art collection so as not to compete with the incredible views just outside. A vaulted skylight above draws in natural light into the interior space.

OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT:

The walk-in closet which adjoins the master bedroom features custom cabinets and mirrors.

The main hallway houses the couple’s art collection so as not to compete with the incredible views just outside. A vaulted skylight above draws in natural light into the interior space.

One of architect Jun Sillano’s favorite projects on the Hawk’s Nest was designing the window over the master bathroom’s sink with inset mirrors.

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THIS SPREAD: The Sea Loft Residence, Pebble Beach, Calif. One of only a handful of homes along the famous 17 Mile Drive that can boast an ocean view, the Sea Loft was once home to architect Robert Stanton in the 1920s. The de-sign is, as architect Jun Sillano describes it, as authentic to the Mediterranean style without turning into Disneyland.

Nestled in the world renowned Pebble Beach, Calif. coastline is a family’s journey of a restoration and expansion project of a unique piece of property.

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orient the house to get the most out of it,” Sillano said. Aptly named the Hawk’s Nest, the home is perched on the edge of a mountain overlooking the Pacific and naturally jagged coastline.

“The owners have been sojourning to Big Sur for years and when they got the chance to buy property here he asked me to create a retreat where they could get away from the world,” Sillano said. “The owner knew what they wanted and described it so well, it was really more of a collaboration between us.”

The contemporary and clean design of the residence was Sillano’s way of complementing the natural surroundings without clashing. The home’s cliff-like location also presented a challenge in how to maximize the space without tempting more of California’s infamous coastal erosion.

“I’ve been doing this for a long time so I know what I’m doing when it comes to erosion. We used pier and cantilevered beams on the home and built out as much as we could,” Sillano said. The ample deck area stretches out into the ocean mist, giving the illusion that it is endless.

“The idea here is that you are sitting on the bow of a ship right on the ocean.”

The house is largely made up of locally sourced Carmel stone, granite slab, teak wood and plenty of glass surfaces to highlight the views.

One extraordinary use of the translucent glass is the window wall over the master room’s sink, which opens to the forest just beyond with a mirror embedded in the glass wall which reflects the ocean views behind. One can look at both of the natural environments the property has to offer. Another surprising use of glass is in the kitchen nook area where Sillano used glass corners to relay an idea of seamlessness with the outside. The living room is actually glass on three sides.

The home is connected to Highway One by way of a very steep private road where only a handful of residences are hidden. Overall, the client was

THIS SPREAD: Sea Loft, Pebble Beach, Calif. When the family bought the residence it was a hodge podge of past residents’ attempts to renovate the nearly 90-year-old home. The architect’s challenge was to unify the styles in a cohesive way. The courtyard is great for entertaining or relaxing with the family with the custom fountain and outdoor fireplace.

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CLOCKWISE FROM FAR LEFT: The kitchen’s oversized center

island is perfect for cooking projects on one side and hungry visitors on

the other for the upholstered bar stools. The expansive kitchen is necessary for the residents who often entertain for their various

philanthropic causes.

Sea Loft, Pebble Beach, Calif. The cozy parlor room is perfect for chilly nights in the coastal California town.

The dropped beams were added to bring warmth and a historical

context to the home.

The dropped beams make a splash in the warm entryway with the

staircase just off center.

The wood paneled vaulted ceilings in the dining room echo the curved

arches over which separates the rooms throughout the house.

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so pleased with the home that he hired IDG on the interior design, as well.

“We always try to make great relationships with our clients and this was a good one,” Sillano said. This was also the case when Sillano designed the Sea Loft residence along 17 Mile Drive, a popular tourist spot in nearby Pebble Beach.

“This home has an interesting history because it began as the famous architect Robert Stanton’s home in the 1920s and has since exchanged ownership so many times since then that it was a hodgepodge of styles when the owners bought it,” Sillano said. “The owners came to me and said that they wanted to do a legacy home.”

The renovation and additions made to the house synched the styles into a Mediterranean style estate with extensive stonework, bronze accents, and reclaimed white oak beams on the interior to complete the look.

“We decided to really capitalize on the purity of architecture history and make it as authentic as possible to an old world style without it turning

into Disneyland,” Sillano. The family is involved in philanthropic causes and use the house for entertaining. For the young and growing family that the home supports, the many amenities the home boasts became the focus of the project, like the custom wine cellar. Sillano found an unused multi-leveled space and designed a wine cellar using the same stone as on the exterior of the home with a barrel-curved ceiling out of brick. For the younger members of the household, Sil-lano designed a custom tree house in a “Cotswald style” cottage aesthetic.

“The tree house came together organically,” Sillano said. “I saw this lamppost that reminded me of the C.S. Lewis book The Lion, the Witch and The Wardrobe and everyone liked the idea. With the pine trees surrounding the home and how it is kind of hidden, it was just perfect.”

The finished product was certainly something out of a book, just like many of Sillano’s other projects: an inspired design, a fairytale location and history to go along with it all. ALT

ABOVE: For the younger members of the household, Sillano designed a custom tree house in a Cotswald style cottage aesthetic. When Sillano came across a lamppost that looked right out of foggy London, he was inspired to design the cottage with C.S. Lewis’ book The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe in mind.

OPPOSITE PAGE, TOP: When architect Jun Sillano found an unusual multi-leveled space that was unused, he designed a custom wine cellar using the same stone as on the exterior of the home with a barrel-curved ceiling. No home in northern California is complete without some place to collect wine.

BOTTOM: One of several bedrooms at the Sea Loft residence, equipped with zen-inspired bunk beds.

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