A 450-pound pivoting teak entry door leads into this private oasis tucked away into the side of Santa Monica Canyon, part of my hometown, the urban west Los Angeles County seaside city of Santa Monica. Walking distance to the beach, shops, and restaurants, the contemporary three story home is the epitome of indoor-outdoor living in an urban location.

Built in 2010 by local builder/designer, Rob Hussey, the passive-solar house features an open architectural plan designed for seamless integration of the surrounding landscape with the home’s interior.

Expansive stretches of glass and six 10-ft x 10-ft sliding glass and mahogany doors invite light and nature indoors while all of the living spaces flow directly into the home’s many outdoor rooms, a collection of patios, gardens, and a spa area whose saline infinity edge pool is punctuated with cascading eight-foot waterfall.

Each of the many outdoor spaces offers a unique experience. One can meditate in a Zen patio beside a Koi pond, then pass over with floating teak and stainless steel bridge around the corner to take a dip in the pool before showering outdoors in the privacy of a bamboo garden.

Geometric shadows cast from the cantilevered shelves on one of the exterior walls, above, create a sculptural effect on an otherwise flat expanse of gray stucco. The open kitchen spills out onto the dining patio where on chilly evenings one can lounge or dine al fresco by a large wood-burning fireplace.

Three rotated zinc clad towers with undulating roofs sit on a rectangular-shaped gray stucco base, offering views through numerous mahogany windows and an upper level glass catwalk that appears suspended in mid air.

Through the master bathroom’s large windows, stargazing is possible while soaking in the heated concrete tub or relaxing relaxing in the steam shower, though one could choose instead to be entertained by the built-in television.

Thanks to California’s generally good weather, one could spend a great deal of time luxuriating outdoors, but the interior beckons with custom-designed furniture and seemingly endless handcrafted, artistic elements including the hand-sculpted black walnut stairs that lead to the home’s four bedrooms and five bathrooms, one of which is a guest bedroom suite where visitors can contemplate the impressive digs from a cantilevered balcony beneath an overhead flying roof.

Want the experience? You can rent the house directly from the owner.