Award-winning Contemporary Architecture at 1001 1st Street In Manhattan Beach’s Hill Section Transforms Ocean Vistas Into Living Art—Within A Resort-like Haven
“It’s the best home in The Hill Section that I’ve ever seen come to market,” declares agent Christa Lyons.
Her assessment of 100 North Dianthus Street in Manhattan Beach, seen through a lens of transacting high-end Beach Cities properties for 20+ years, carries weight.
This isn’t just another beautiful property; it’s an accomplished one. Completed in 2021, the approximately 9,479-square-foot residence represents what real estate agent and longtime luxury developer Matt Morris calls “insanely high-end construction, where there’s no expense spared anywhere.”
Accolades include an AIA-LA Residential Architecture Honor Award and a global nod from Architizer in the form of an A+ Award Special Mention (Architecture + Concrete).
Designed by notable architectural firm Laney LA, the custom home—with its clean geometric volumes, constructed in concrete and glass, and clad in sun-kissed cedar planks—feels like a fresh new neighbor amid the broad streets of stately Mediterranean-styled residences. It’s an example of fine architecture, from end to end, that twines show-stopping contemporary design with a keenly under-the-radar profile.
Effortlessly Immersive
1001 1st Street’s most compelling feature isn’t just its panoramic ocean views, but how those views function as living, breathing elements of the home’s design. Unlike many Hill Section properties where impressive ocean vistas remain largely ornamental—often relegated to formal rooms that one might pass through, but rarely live in—this residence offers what the agents term “usable views.”
Here, the relationship between interior and exterior is fundamentally different. Floor-to-ceiling doors and windows, many standing an impressive 10.5 feet tall, create an unprecedented indoor-outdoor flow. The main living areas directly engage with those sweeping ocean panoramas, transforming static scenery into an interactive environment.
“It is like a resort in that way,” Christa Lyons notes, capturing how 1001 1st Street’s orientation and design philosophy create an immersive living experience.
Life at 100 North Dianthus Street is lived in tandem with nature. You awake to sunrise casting its glow through the home; midday sun animates the home’s calm palette, boosting the dreamy blue and bright green of the pool and lawn. From sunset onwards, a kaleidoscope of vivid hues—some days violet and pink; other days brilliant gold and orange—washes through the home before night settles in. The Pacific Ocean breeze is a constant companion.
“The views,” Matt Morris points out, “are open and unblockable from the main and top floors. Everything opens to the south and the west, which is the most ideal scenario.”
Privacy, 1001 1st Street’s defining characteristic, is the result of thoughtful positioning and generous proportions. Set on a lot measuring 90 x 140 feet, which includes an additional 15 feet of city right-of-way setback, the residence sits well above street level and is further buffered by mature ficus trees scaling 8 to 10 feet in height.
A sliding security gate—the only one of its kind in Manhattan Beach, according to the agents—provides an additional layer of seclusion. Whether poolside lounging, al fresco dining, or relaxing on a balcony, life is lived within this private sanctuary.
The design is matched by disciplined craftsmanship throughout the 6-bedroom and 10-bathroom residence. Finish materials are low-key luxurious, earth-toned and unobtrusive, meant to telegraph substance while keeping attention focused on the bouquet of sea and sky that seeps into every room. Scalloped concrete walls create sculptural interest, hinting at ocean waves, while vertical-grain cedar planks provide warmth inside and out.
1001 1st Street’s layout maximizes both family living and entertaining—from intimate to guest-list lavish—and every space reflects a studied attention to detail. There’s a contemporary wellness area that includes a private gym with its own exterior entrance. Head to the spacious lower level for social spaces, which include a glamorous bar decked in veiny onyx, where bottles are supplied from a nearby wine cellar. There’s a massive flexible space, suitable for everything from a home theater to a golf simulator, and two guest rooms, calm and chandelier-lit, for housing family and friends.
Sustainability and self-sufficiency add another layer of sophistication. The residence incorporates extensive solar panels and four backup power walls (a system for storing energy), which creates what amounts to an off-grid capable system. 1001 1st Street also boasts EMF-minimized construction, meant to boost its wellness quotient. These forward-thinking features align neatly with the home’s contemporary aesthetic while providing pragmatic benefits that extend far beyond mere luxury.
Hill Section Seclusion
Waterleaf Interiors, a mainstay boutique firm operating out of Manhattan Beach since 2006, has created spaces that feel both glamorous and comfortable—what the agents describe as a “shape-shifting” quality that adapts effortlessly to daily life.
“The house is a great entertaining home, but a great family home, too,” Christa Lyons describes.
The large pool and expansive lawn provide classic California outdoor living, while the positioning ensures optimal southern and western exposure for both sunlight and views.
The property’s corner location on one of The Hill Section’s most prestigious streets offers additional advantages. Recent removal of power lines has eliminated visual obstructions, while the wider street provides a sense of mellow grandness and welcome. With only one direct neighbor—who happens to own multiple surrounding properties and is rarely present—the sense of privacy becomes even more pronounced.
Perhaps most remarkably, this represents essentially a new-construction opportunity in an area where such properties rarely become available. At a time when privacy has become a highly desired aspect of luxury, this property delivers something increasingly rare in the Beach Cities: a thoroughly contemporary architectural statement that doesn’t sacrifice livability for looks, or center-stage views for seclusion. It represents not just a home, but an experience.
Christa Lyons | 310.722.7115 | DRE#01489213
Matt Morris | 310.678.4511 | DRE#01213818
Matt Morris Real Estate Group
List Price: $25,000,000
Photography by Kim Pritchard Photography
