A 1960s Circular Home Gets a Second Life Focused Entirely on the View

A quirky 1960s circular house had the views but could not fully see them. Low window eaves blocked sightlines, and the layout worked against daily life. Feldman Architecture saw a chance to change that.

This rebuild keeps the home’s original form while opening it to light, landscape, and flow. Every move puts the view first and lets the architecture follow.

A Quirky 1960s Home With Hidden Limitations

The Round House was one of only a few circular homes built in California during the 1960s. The owners first planned a modest update. Living there revealed deeper issues, especially windows that cut off the surrounding scenery despite the dramatic site.

Rebuilding the Circle Without Losing Its Identity

Rather than fight the circle, the redesign leans into it. The rebuilt home respects the original geometry while responding to a steep, challenging plot. Shou Sugi Ban siding, seamless concrete floors, and crisp white curved walls form a calm backdrop. Minimal interiors allow the changing colors of the South Bay views to lead.

A Living Space That Opens Completely to the Landscape

From the entry, the living room opens directly into the heart of the house. Sightlines extend outward toward the deck and beyond. Tall curved pocket doors disappear into the walls, dissolving the boundary between inside and out.

Turning the Central Courtyard Into the Heart of the Home

The former open-air courtyard now holds the kitchen. This shift places cooking and gathering at the center of the home. A circular skylight brings daylight straight down, moving across custom curved cabinetry throughout the day. The kitchen becomes both functional and quietly theatrical.

Circulation That Follows the Curve

Movement through the house follows its geometry. A concentric hallway wraps the kitchen, guiding circulation in a continuous loop. Pie-shaped rooms branch off the curve, clearly separating shared areas from private spaces without breaking the flow.

Bedrooms That Open Directly Outdoors

Bedrooms line the outer edge of the circle. Each one opens directly onto the perimeter deck. This modest wrap-around deck gives every room a direct relationship to the outdoors and the surrounding hills.

Calm Bathroom With Skylights

Bathrooms follow the same restrained language as the rest of the house. Curved walls and clean surfaces keep the focus outward. Materials and light work together so these spaces feel connected rather than tucked away.

The rebuilt Round House no longer hides behind its own design. By embracing its circular form and opening fully to the site, it becomes a home shaped by views and movement.

Photography by Adam Rouse | Architecture and Interior design: Feldman Architecture | Feldman Architecture Team: Stephen Stept (Partner in Charge) and Anjali Iyer (Project Architect) | General Contractor: Baywest Builders | Civil Engineer: Lea + Braze Engineering Inc | Landscape Design: Variegated Green | Structural Engineer: BKG Structural Engineers | Geotechnical Consultant: Romig Engineers Inc | Arborist: Urban Tree Management | Lighting Designer: Tucci Lighting