Pioneer utopian coastal community blends nature with commons & private space

[@uptone12111]

Its not only the visual that makes your videos enjoyable. I like how the people seem so relaxed around you and are willing to be open and honest about their living spaces.

[@ianlewismedia2333]

That was awesome just like most of your videos! My wife and I drove past The Sea Ranch last summer and we thought it looked like a dream place to live! To see it in detail is a privilege...thank you.

[@fumusfumus]

Ever since university 50 years ago Sea Ranch, and this architect, Donlyn Lyndon, have been my biggest influence and aspirational goal for both my design and how I want to live. I’ve still not quite managed it so that’s what’s great about doing architecture. The next project embodies all that hope and potential. Great documentary of a great achievement. It’s all about lifestyle and atmosphere. Nature untamed. Thanks for the best film yet about it, and capturing Lyndon before it’s too late.

[@gwyndekker7361]

First saw Sea Ranch in the 80s but did not know what it was. Thank you for sharing the ideas behind the community. Loved it then and hoped to live along the California coast someday. Never managed the necessary income but DID manage to find my own "coast" along the Fox River in Illinois. Don't give up your dreams folks. Stay flexible and they will find you.

[@kirstendirksen]

I love the idea that you found your own part of the country at what you could afford that fulfills your needs. I don't think any place matches our ideals 100%, but I am always amazed at how people manage to get creative. From photos, the Fox River looks beautiful.

[@gwyndekker7361]

Thank you Kirsten. Selective vision helps a lot with the beauty. LOL Although I live in the 'burbs, I have only one neighbor. The river view is ever changing and we get interesting visitors now and then (a wolf last night). I've lost count of the beautiful sunsets that have blessed our eyes. Right now we have about four inches of new snow on the ground. My "happy place". I love visiting all the interesting places you find with your family! Thank you for sharing your adventures with us. :-)

[@pikru88]

Hi Kirsten. Just wanted to say that I greatly admire all of your videos. I don't care, like some people in the comments if the spaces/ideas you show are dirt cheap or extremely expensive. I find some inspiration in every story you tell. Some of my ideas come straight out of your videos. My dream is to build a passive town house on a tiny lot within a city in Poland (like in your videos from Japan). Here, the people heads seem to be closed to anything different than first buying a 50-60m2 apartment brand new from a developer and then building and moving into a 1000m2 lot with a catalogue high energy demand brick home 20-40kms from the closest city with zero public transport. I'd love to shed light on other options in my surroundings and all your videos motivate and inspire me to do that. Thank you.

[@ARealPersonNotABot]

What a cool gig. You get to travel the world checking out interesting spaces, and people. The travel must be expensive, but it seems like a great life

[@misterosc]

of all the houses that you've shown on your channel over the years I think that last one is my absolute favourite, materials, design the style... I really love everything!

[@phillipperobinson769]

I think this is a beautiful concept. I like the community common areas and the buildings that romantically show the beauty of wood.

[@wg9601]

idk much about architecture or landscapes, but this guy comes off as my kind of guy! The doc really shown a light on this individuals great character and wealth of knowledge on housing and environments. Cheers, Kirsten!

[@anthonysinclair5721]

How could anyone dislike this place? jealousy?

[@JEFFREY-c-ESTES]

I've been a fan of Sea Ranch and Donlyn's work for a long time. Seeing his Architecture and knowing his design philosophy, makes me not surprised at all that he is amused by a rock at 21:30.

[@MaanelSitaBlueLily]

The land reminds me of my childhood in and around ottersberg. Lovely, thank you

[@melovescoffee]

Wow, truely one of the most beautiful living spaces i have ever seen. The windswept trees, the golden grass, the weathered wood. It gives me chills down my spine. Those houses are just funky, love them. I'm a big fan of open plan living. You're always caught between cursing it and loving it. I'm very fortunate i live in a similar situation, just on minimum wage. The absolute tiniest, cheapest, wonkiest, spectacularly funky open plan rat hole i could find with a full open view on the commons where houses will never be built. Golden, i'm so in love with it. And then i curse it because it's highly unfurnishable. :D Open plan definitely needs to be large to work well, or custom designed, which i'm not good at. Gosh, these interiors! Kissable! Nothing wrong with letting materials be themselves. There are always some people who just don't get that.

[@andreewert1142]

I love your work Kirsten..Bravo Again..I love the Philosophy of that Developer saying ..you own an indivisible part of the Commons''..it resonates with me..I like the idea of redefining the larger common experience... a great concept for fragile ecosystems , forests, coastlines

[@angusdenny4422]

Thank you for sharing! I have always admired the principles and thoughtfulness of Sea Ranch.

[@retrobebop61]

So beautiful!! So thoughtful. Thank you Kirsten!

[@michaelcsutton]

Brilliant. What an incredible place.

[@bobv8219]

another very good video I used to dive for Abalone here and my sister Becky Woods lived about a mile-and-a-half up the hill from Timber Cove Lodge where she still works today 12-30-16 thanks again and happy New Year to you

[@Mayamcnicoll]

I always enjoy your videos Kirsten. Thank you for making them.

[@justiceunderstanding8863]

This channel is amazing, I imagine all architecture enthusiast watch your channel Kirsten. Seems to be a beautiful voyage you and your family are on. Have you built yourself a home somewhere?

[@truthbetold8915]

Breath-taking. I so enjoy your documentaries without background music. It's as if we walked and talked with these people and the landscape. Thank you.

[@maartenarnou]

a visionary architect. wonderful!

[@canyonhaverfield2201]

My very favorite of all FairCompanyFilms..gorgeous in every moment. I will find a copy of the book & share it.With family & to Monterey peninsula building agencies.

[@averyanovvasily586]

Stunning beauty! Thank you Kirsten!

[@georgewhitehouse8630]

Thank goodness

[@xeftones]

So glad you don't have horrible loud music in the background

[@もとのゆき-d7n]

本当素敵。内部空間が更に素敵なのがシーランチコンドミニアムの素晴らしい。 光の採り入れ方。陰影。内部空間の面白さ。コンパクトな中で見事としか言えません。

[@dylannnt]

I love how being rich helps you be sooooo philosophical

[@simongreenham]

Beautiful and fascinating like all your films, I 'd love to live there ...

[@margom2060]

Perfection...building without destruction

[@coldvaper]

Wow I have lived in the SF Bay area all my life and never heard of this place. I really like it, I dare not look at real estate in that area though.

[@elainemarie9470]

Lovely to see a San Fran hippie visionary make good. Not easy or simple to do. I am a native San Franciscan and I have always been passionate about ecological causes. The first Earth Day in 1970 inspired me, and I was fortunate to begin a career in environmentalism in 1976. I escaped the Bay Area in 1984. I never realized until I moved away, how snobby I was. I grew up in it, and didn't know better. Unfortunately, this screams elitism, especially since real estate is outrageous out there. Too bad a burp will take it down :( I'm surprised to see how foggy it was. Usually this time of year is when it isn't foggy on the coast line. Most of my family lives in the SF area, and I'm always delighted with the sunny beaches during my Thanksgiving and Christmas visits. Interesting to witness a person who chit chats in prose. LOL

[@sarjim4381]

Fall and winter days when there are no storms coming in tend to be the sunniest on the Sonoma Coast. From spring through summer, it's cold, windy, and foggy. There are also some very bad storms in winter. There's only one road in and out and winter storms can close that road for days at a time. You lose your power as well. Even a trip to buy groceries can be a real ordeal. The risk of wildfires in the dry season is every present. It's not a nice, gentle place, and people thinking it is don't stay for long.

[@oxxxeee]

Jim, it appears your agenda is to spread lies about TSR. Why is that?

[@aspensong]

I love this area!

[@policarpiojrgonzales2349]

"I Was Paying Attention At Every Detail He Says... Well, Amen !" 😃😇

[@EdDunkle]

My problem with Sea Ranch is that it is basically a suburb. You have to drive miles to neighboring towns to buy anything at all. "Planned Communities" should be walkable, with grocery stores and the like. This is simply a beautiful collection of second homes for the wealthy.

[@starzbloom2454]

So beautiful. Wish I could live there.

[@Roobah]

I can't help but think that the commons area looks like a firestorm waiting to happen, given that most of the houses are made of wood, would be more fuel to the fire. Maybe a return of some grazing animals in the environment would be nicer? Rent some goats? Cows? Free-ranging chickens? Just enough to keep the meadows in check during the dry seasons. I really love the last house and the layered living spaces that ALL take advantage of the big window views.

[@basehead617]

I doubt much fire is ever gonna happen there, there's fog every day, its not dry

[@Creative-os3hx]

beautiful

[@ursa4212]

Pure beauty.

[@FISHBREATHH]

Beautiful and cost prohibitive for most.

[@omfug7148]

I've known about this community for decades and yes, only the very affluent who can afford to live there.

[@fouroakfarm]

Its basically a retirement community for the wealthy in the middle of nowhere. Sonoma and Mendocino coast is very pretty but way too isolated

[@TheGranti7a]

omfug Bitch and moan. It just sounds jealous. Such a complacent consumerist view. Be inspired by ideas and possibilities. Look up information resources; do some research. Accept the challenges in your realty as part of the design/costs/building process. I see native woods, concrete, cinder blocks, plywood, etc., and thoughtful design coupled to craftspersonship.

[@briantrend1812]

just because someone notes that its expensive and only the affluent can stay there is not jealousy bitching or moaning ?????ZZzzz , wake up smartie pants

[@owenfrank5671]

TheGranti7a .. actually i really agree with your perspective on this. Perhaps this specific place has become expensive. But where there's a vision and a will, there's a way, no matter your current situation.

[@mitchcollins2947]

Love the concrete house.

[@Mies78]

Gorgeous.

[@ubarhd1]

What a beauty 👏🏻

[@balanceiskey9646]

Enjoyed, Thankyou.

[@ubarhd1]

Great place and videography 👍🏻👏🏻

[@gocynthia]

So cool!

[@juanmartinreborati7928]

Brillant!

[@BettyHaney101]

Nice ☺️

[@VisinskiRadoviBeograd]

But where's the fruits and vegetables, where are the no dig gardens, how these people eat, where do they get their food. This is so virtual.

[@Searanchabalonebay]

The town of Gualala is only 10 minutes away. They have 2 grocery stores there. Or you travel the 1 1/2 drive south to the larger city, Santa Rosa and shop at Costco and bring it back with you There is also a community garden that many of the full time residents use.

[@Agentsanfrancisco]

Can an Artist build a larger pole barn on one of these lots?

[@dennis12384]

I just enjoyed your wonderful and insightful KZbin interview with a designing architect at Sea Ranch. I am partially familiar with the development and some of the early planners but was not aware any of the original group has survived. Who did you interview.....I look forward to your reply.

[@kirstendirksen]

It's Donlyn Lyndon (also mentioned in the text): en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donlyn_Lyndon

[@thomastommy1192]

Who would a person contact to buy a home there?? What is the name of the community?

[@aeropilot4419]

Thomas Tommy Sea Ranch

[@VAX1970]

Seems odd to put the houses so close together when there is so much space available

[@MsMesem]

That maximises the possible open area and sense of space and nature. Its the inverse of a normal suburb where the space is divided up and fenced between houses.

[@basehead617]

they're not that close together considering there's something like 2500 houses

[@Andy.Shapiro]

Not too big on the breaking the 4th wall by showing Kirsten filming. Its distracting. Cool videos though!

[@garylawrence3873]

Far too many people on the planet for all of us to enjoy this lifestyle. They had a vision and an idea that I like .

[@pianorama]

👍❤️

[@confusedwhale]

Cover the cars... 7:45 And 13:21

[@raymondharvey1821]

Too many rules to this compound. The not showing your car thing seems a bit much.

[@RonPaulgirls]

THEN YOU SHOULD STAY IN THE MICH SLUM WHERE YOU CAME FROM

[@ChazEvansdale]

That car is shielded from the commons, which follows the rule he shared. In that shot you're seeing the car from the road, not from the commons.

[@lyd9237]

When you spend time there, and walk around the roads to visit various places in the community and various friends, not seeing cars, and not seeing the unnatural reflection from the cars' surfaces really does make a difference. There's a certain visual noise that cars yield to a landscape (beyond even the reflective qualities of most surfaces) that you're not aware of until you don't see it. I've spent time there. The impact of that rule is profound.

[@snooze1987]

Cars are to shiny, so Solar panels too?

[@Searanchabalonebay]

Actually solar panels are encouraged but they must be set on the home as to not be seen

[@juliabrown3610]

wow

[@JeremyHelm]

Folder of Time

[@JeremyHelm]

7:06 "how are you making something that's an environment for experience, and how are you making something that's part of a larger environment like climate, landscape and so on"

[@JeremyHelm]

7:20 shielding cars from view - "getting that glitter out of the landscape was hugely important"

[@onlythistube]

Truly beautiful lots & real estates... & thanks for sharing this... Sadly this is just another expression of the common social inequality, which permeates every sector of our everyday lifes. When you have an let's say ordinary day job, you can both neither afford, nor inhabit such a remote & extraordinary house / lot of land. And before someone calls me out on it, I simply right away admit being frustrated by people inheriting, getting & having different chances, opportunities & obstacles in society to experience beauty and comfort for body and mind... This is, again: sadly, not only a mere notion of subjective frustration derived from a sense of helplessness, but also and most importantly, the result of so many studies regarding the inequality of income and wealth and its effects on almost every area of our lifes... education,skill, self-empowerment, health, happiness...

[@earlymay5935]

onlythistube Get over it, Commie

[@basehead617]

Since most of the homes are vacation rentals, the prices actually went down pretty low (for California) during the last crash.. of course right now they're expensive just like everything else is..

[@aniketwaghamare1655]

how much this costs

[@Betazeno]

The interior looks nice but the outside design and materials I am not sold on. The freaking location is Amazing though! I am sure there is not one person who would disagree with that. I guess my main gripes are the homes look like they are deteriorating and what a poor use of a site. A tree doesn't look like its deteriorating if that is what you are trying to mimic. Also, they don't fit into the landscaping and the amazing beauty of that location you don't really see too much imo ( mainly the brush and a couple trees is all you see ) . If they used the stone from the cliffs and some materials that weathers better and have some porches and just nicer home designs this would have been amazing. Currently, it just looks like broken down shacks on a huge beautiful piece of land. Also, no cars on site is just weird and abandoned looking. And no flowers or pretty trees or nice landscaping just makes it look unkept. I do like that each home has space around it but not taking advantage of the location is just a shame :( If you look at the map (at 20:37) its like they didn't want to build too close to the beautiful cliffs and ocean. Maybe two or three homes are close and 90% will never even know they are close to such an amazing view . I bet the one house out on the point is pretty happy though.

[@MsMesem]

Landscaping? You think this place needs landscaping?

[@sarjim4381]

They can't build any closer to the ocean. It's a combination of common area, Coastal Commission's rules, and the areas near the cliffs being too geologically unstable. There are probably less than half the days of the year that any home within 300 or so yards of the ocean even knows there's an ocean to the persistent fog.

[@Betazeno]

At 20:36 they show a couple homes (like 5) that are overlooking the cliff and ocean. If they could build that close then they could have also had a street street that runs left to right with homes close to the cliff. Or had the road in the center split into two and end in cul de sacs closer to the the cliff. Could have had maybe 15 homes much closer. Yes I do think it needs landscaping if you are only looking at it from human eye level. If you don't see the cliffs out of any window then just something would be nice other than the brown grass, scrub bushes and trees. In my opinion of course. Right now it looks like Florida out of most of the windows except if your in one of the 4 or 5 homes overlooking the ocean.

[@oxxxeee]

LOL! Jimbo... Have you even been here?

[@sarjim4381]

Billbo, I gave my background and experience in an answer to another one of your troll comments. Go look there and shut up.

[@darkwaters1010]

Neat layout idea, but the homes are ugly.

[@mathiasniemeier4359]

JUST DON'T BECOME A CULT!...

[@1mollylee]

He calls it stewardship , more like another private community for the rich denying public access to California coastal land

[@benscottbongiben]

Couldn't watch this sorry the video production editing and in particular the audio was awful. Please try a little better to pace the video and get the audio production to a standard that fits. I am patient with many fair company videos but this doesn't make sense

[@preciousroysuckers]

Are the commons open to the public or just the owners? In Hawai'i, much of the beach area is public land and the homes that are on the beach have to allow access every several hundred feet or so.

[@DePvdM]

In my perspective this is mainly a fancy way to older, higher middle class citizens to have their detached homes and nice pocket money in bricks and mortar. Most of the nature things are mainly fancy and hypocritical, as huge glass panes, very large buildings for only two people living there and a lot more inconsistancies are never considered to be against nature. Sorry, my bullshit detector went well into the red with this story.

[@sarjim4381]

Sea Ranch does not want a bunch of riff raff hanging around causing trouble. The so-called common areas are not public, and beach access is restricted to a couple points that Sea Ranch was forced to provide by the Coastal Commission. None of the houses are on the beach because the beach is at the bottom of a 500 foot cliff. There are volunteer trails some people have made to get down to the beach but the aren't legal. The vast majority (about 65%) of the people that live in Sea Ranch are retired, and some have made it their remaining life's work to make sure that no one they don't know is wandering around the area. You can expect to get a visit from the Sea Ranch Association security officers and a deputy sheriff you are.

[@earlymay5935]

Sar Jim Yet these are the hypocrites who are pushing ‘open borders’ ...ah the irony of this type.

[@basehead617]

@@sarjim4381 all of the 'beach' is public.. there's just not that much beach.. also most of the houses are rented as vacation rentals, not lived in by retired people

[@tunafishjoe]

Love your work. I feel like I'm there. Your framing, editing, pacing, and audio are perfect. Thank you!

[@WhyNot-zr5kl]

Gorgeous.

[@narphizoid]

Sea Ranch started, in many ways, as a "social experiment": Many of the comments above seem to lack knowledge of its history - that it was, in its day, about affordability and ecology. The fact that it survives is testament to its success despite radical changes in the makeup of American society, philosophy and economics. Having read much of the early documentation and commentary, this video provides a wonderful "update" to my knowledge.

[@abialo2010]

Another wonderful video. Keep up the great work

[@kobenoyashi531]

I remember learning about this place in school! Such a great idea, I wish more planned communities took this approach.

[@MakeMeThinkAgain]

I've loved Sea Ranch since the beginning. Always have enjoyed driving through there and even stayed in a house there once. It surprises me that it hasn't caught on more.

[@sarjim4381]

You can only build on an available lot and there aren't many of those left.A lot of people bought up the lots surrounding their homes so no one will build too close. The population now is about 1400 and it's doubtful it will ever get much larger.

[@MakeMeThinkAgain]

+Sar Jim As true as that is, I wonder if it might not change a bit in the future. I suspect many of the people who bought up lots are getting older and when their property is eventually sold or inherited there people might put those lots back on the market. I would be surprised if that didn't happen.

[@oxxxeee]

Jim, Where are you getting all of your false information? Your Alternate Facts are impressive.

[@sarjim4381]

Stop trolling. Bill. If you have your own alternate facts, give them. Otherwise, take a hike.

[@mich3134]

Really like the ideology behind the aesthetic of the community

[@kay486]

being rich must be nice

[@dasalekhya]

YES! you get to eat fresh fruits & nuts ... and talk about plywood for 20 minutes

[@elainemarie9470]

+DeepBlue LOL

[@Kikinahm]

Higher income, higher suicide!

[@Searanchabalonebay]

Actually Sea Ranch is considered the happiest zipcode: looked directly at census data for every ZIP code in the U.S. to find the happiest ZIP codes in the country. Those joyous ZIP codes were:1. 95497: Sea Ranch, CA www.movoto.com/blog/top-ten/happiest-zip-codes-map/

[@burly636]

kay486 I bet their happiness is more elusive, or exclusive.

[@TimazCimaz]

it's pretty amazing. I live on the other side of the planet and that place looks for me so surreal, like a star wars movie-scene.

[@leanne4242]

those homes do not co-exist with the land anymore than any other house..they are just not stacked on top of each other...those folks truly believe this ....that old dude lives in his own thoughts..not reality

[@CrankyBubushka]

This is very pretty. But most people could never afford something like this.

[@Searanchabalonebay]

It is mostly a second home/vacation home location, though there are many who have retired to this area. Note that it is nearly 2 hours from a major city area (Santa Rosa) and 3 hours from SF. The home pricing can start at about 500K (Check Zillow for various properties.)

[@CaalamusTube]

$500k?! That's astonishing!

[@akindofmagick]

$500k won't buy you a hovel in the Greater DC / Baltimore area.

[@CaalamusTube]

akindofmagick ...& who wouldn't rather live here! I'd imagine the property taxes are horrible though!

[@bigguy321]

Actually, because of Prop 13 the property taxes will be 1% of the purchase price and can only be raised a small percentage each year.

[@bonilla2022]

Great ideas and video ! 8-)

[@duartepereira6416]

this is brilliant guys, thank you for the video. i had heard about the Sea Ranch before, but had never actually seen it. this is what i strive for, as an architect, and as a human..really. With a little bit more attention to Thermals..though. heh 2500 ppl is too many, for a commons to really work, imo.. but this is IT..right here. THIS is one of the best References on how to actually inhabit the Planet. thanks again cheers from Portugal

[@robvannNS]

Seeing the number of recent fires in the North West tinder dry wood siding seems like an invitation to disaster..Corten steel and concrete, now that's the way to go. Love this episode because it brings back memories of the seventies when I was working in the Architectural field..

[@RichieRouge206]

I’ve got a book about this and Seaside, FL. Great concept but as said pretty damn expensive

[@sonofgunder667]

million dollar homes

[@christopheririon2542]

Wonderful profile. But what is with not naming Don Lyndon?

[@robertfeliciano5723]

Nice space, but I find it hysterical how he describes utterly obvious thing like how windows and doors work. Yes we know, light comes through windows and cabinet doors hide what is behind them.

[@DarkMage30000]

I like multi-purpose design of interior for efficient use of space as well as how well the buildings blend in the surroundings and add to the environment.

[@jitaamesuluma9730]

no solar ? thats surprising

[@basehead617]

there’s lots of solar there

[@plantsforlife1120]

You do excellent work Kirsten!! Just beautiful to watch and be inspired to live simply! Thank you.

[@markifi]

any chance on covering Usonian homes?

[@williamzavlaris4054]

I have been visiting Sea Ranch since its inception in the 1960's and the architecture and planning were and are still (even with later modifications) extraordinary. The original ideas were for simple houses not on the scale or price of a Del Monte Forest property. The market place changed this over time but even today it is not nearly as expensive as coastal property further south. I have even visited tiny cabins up in the trees at ridge level away from the coast that were very affordable. The area is not easy to get to and the weather tends to be foggy and windy but that is part of its charm. Nature still dominates here which is very hard to find around the metropolitan regions of California especially those in southern California. Also remember that it is not difficult to find house rentals for truly unique vacations, so while ownership may be out of reach for many the experience of the place is not. Bravo to intelligent design wherever it appears and thanks for posting this wonderful and insightful tour with one of the principal architects who helped make it happen.

[@nonyobussiness3440]

Reminds me of Nantucket

[@basehead617]

i don’t understand how the concrete and steel house at all fits in with the aesthetic the design committee usually approves.. every other house is natural wood siding as far as i know

[@SimpleFull]

Ahhhh... I grew up in open space like this..🌳🌲🌲THANK YOU, another lovely video!

[@tomscott4438]

I fail to see what's so "utopian" about a bunch of wealthy people buying up coastal land, and trying to shut out the public. I also find it ironic that most of those dwellings are second homes, so it's hardly a "community". In it's time, this development was hugely controversial and required a court battle to force them to open up the beaches to public access.

[@Khaab00]

I saw a CAR!

[@ftt3057]

I assume they are not tree huggers

[@Dev1nci]

Beautiful!

[@Hodad3000]

Beautiful.