Morro Bay Breezeway

by Jeffrey Gordon Smith Landscape Architecture

This jewel box design of a 10’6” wide by 32’ long raised deck, transformed a breezeway between the garage, kitchen and entry foyer, into an inviting courtyard space. The courtyard is divided into three distinct spaces in this design: an entry fountain space, a BBQ kitchen space, and a fire pit sectional area.
The entry fountain is a focal point viewed by guests arriving through the entry foyer of the house. The fountain is comprised of a glass tile wall with three weirs that spill into a Corten steel basin. A textural contrast is created between the smooth glass tiles and the sueded leather appearance of the Corten steel. Blue bamboo punctures through the Ipe deck from below by way of in-ground planters flanking the fountain. Acrylic sheets skirting the planters are lit from below the deck to provide evening light and to give the impression the deck is floating.
Next to the fountain is the BBQ kitchen. A Komodo Kamado BBQ is incorporated in this space which is conveniently located next to the kitchen. In addition to being a functional barbecue, the Komodo doubles as an interesting art piece in the courtyard.
The fire pit sectional is designed to create a warm and informal outdoor dining area that makes the space comfortable during the cool coastal nights. The fire pit is filled with recycled glass which retains the heat very efficiently. Behind the sectional is an Ipe wall incorporating acrylic light box windows that glow from within. A large acrylic window cut into the garage wall is backlit with a color changing LED GU-10 bulb that gives the space a diverse choice of moods.
Due to the constraints of such a narrow space, the design was kept clean and simple. The Ipe deck bands run diagonally with a vertical grain Fir accent band to visually divide the rooms. The Ipe and Fir run up the walls of the house, breaking up the monotony of the stucco wall. The wood accents give the space warmth and rhythm while also distracting the eye from the different window heights. Interest is created by building out off of the existing walls which have given depth to the space through the use of light-box windows.