Adagio

Nestled into the wooded landscape of Carmel-by-the-Sea, Adagio embraces the natural beauty of its site and respects the town’s stringent design guidelines for its historic setting. The home’s dark, textured exteriors and green roofs allow it to recede into the surroundings. Stepping down the sloped site, with 30 percent of its program underground, it preserves the natural topography and maintains a modest street presence. Light wells and cutouts introduce natural light and ventilation to lower-level spaces, and glass-walled links connect the two gable volumes. Passive heating and cooling, radiant floor heating, and a rooftop solar array enhance energy performance, while native landscaping reduces water use and supports biodiversity. With its restrained palette, careful massing, and deep connection to the land, Adagio balances innovation and tradition, enhancing the natural and cultural character of its place.

“This project really struck all of us—an incredible use of the site and the section as you move through it, controlling the scale from the street, genuflecting to the incredible trees that exist on the site, all the way down to the detail of the custom-made furniture.” —James Timberlake, FAIA

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