The Sea Ranch: Architecture, Environment, and Idealism

This large-format and generously illustrated book captures the visionary approach to land development embraced in designs for The Sea Ranch, the planned community that has become a touchstone of 1960s West Coast modernism.

Situated on a ten-mile stretch of rugged Northern California coastline, The Sea Ranch was conceived as a retreat from urban living with connection to nature as a guiding principle. This striking book examines the concepts behind the site’s master plan and first buildings through sketches, drawings, and contemporary and archival photographs of its varied landscapes and distinctive timber-framed structures. A collection of essays considers The Sea Ranch in relation to mid-century California developments and West Coast lifestyle and within the context of Bay Area architectural history. These texts are accompanied by recollections by designers and others associated with the project from its inception. This book showcases the exemplary balance between land stewardship and modernist architecture that has made The Sea Ranch a model for living in harmony with nature.