Flow and glow

The clients wanted a place to sit and gaze at their sculpture garden as well as their multimillion-dollar view of the Queen’s Necklace, the string of coastal lights that stretch from Point Dume to Palos Verdes. Architects Richard Landry and Marc Welch devised a dramatic fire-and-water fountain/seating area inspired by the chambered nautilus. Flagstone steps, like chambers in the curved shell, spiral up to a custom teak bench attached to a wall of integral-colored ochre stucco. The center of the nook features an eye-catching fire element surrounded by a curved cast-glass brick fountain. Water flows down the face of the greenish glass and--incredibly--into the gas-fire chamber nestled in a bed of stainless-steel balls. Built like a pier with pile footings sunk into the sand, the solid concrete structure stands 12 feet above the crashing ocean waves. “It’s a combination of all the elements: earth, wind and fire,” says Welch. “It’s a great place to sit, contemplate the view and keep warm on a cool California evening.”

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Water Feature

FIRE AND WATER FOUNTAIN/SEAT

Architects: Marc Welch and Richard Landry, Landry Design Group, Los Angeles, (310) 444-1404.

Conceit: Natural elements commingle in a sculptural nook overlooking the Queen’s Necklace.

Sustainability: “The only thing ‘green’ is the color of the glass.”--Marc Welch

Water audio: “It’s on the tranquil side--reminiscent of the ocean waves but not crashing, more of a rippling, whooshing water effect.”--M.W.