PORTFOLIO CASE STUDY

The Obsidian Pavilion

Malibu, California

Scale 12,500 SQ FT

Architect Vance & Partners Studio

Duration 22 Months

Scope Ground-Up Turnkey Execution

THE INTENT

A masterclass in unreinforced brutalist geometry.

"The architect requested zero visible structural support elements along the entire 80-foot coastal viewline. Three builders walked away. We took it on."

The Obsidian Pavilion stands as a structural marvel carved directly into a steep coastal bluff. The primary structural mandate required balancing massive thermal masses of specialized self-consolidating black concrete over an exceptionally complex seismic baseline.

By introducing a deep subterranean system of micro-piles anchored into monolithic stone foundations, our engineering division allowed the upper residential tiers to step back into floating cantilevers, preserving a flawless glass envelope.

DETAIL 01 / TRANSPARENCY

Seamless Structural Enclosures

Utilizing dynamic structural glass frames directly imported from Switzerland. Each pane spans 14 feet vertically and features hidden floor tracks built to adjust automatically during thermal expansion cycles.

DETAIL 02 / MATERIALS

Hand-Picked Travertine Blocks

Our sourcing team spent three weeks at a quarry in Tivoli, Italy, hand-marking matching veins across 40 distinct blocks of limestone to ensure absolute pattern continuity throughout the grand hallway walls.

DETAIL 03 / HYDRAULICS

The 50-Meter Cantilevered Edge

A massive geometric pool deck engineered with a perimeter-overflow gutter system, suspended entirely out over the sheer cliff face to dissolve the boundary between architecture and sea.

ENGINEERING TRIUMPH

Mastering Form-Board Concrete Texture

To match the organic character of the surrounding rugged coastal stone, we designed bespoke rough-sawn Douglas Fir formwork. The concrete mixture was infused with deep iron oxide pigments and poured dynamically to achieve an unyielding texture that matures beautifully with the salty sea air.

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