1560 Bluebird Canyon Drive, The Tokyo House, Laguna Beach

i.The Home

1560 Bluebird Canyon Drive

Designed by David M. Parker, AIA, the Tokyo House steps down its Laguna ridgeline in warm horizontal layers of wood-clad volumes under gently curved, floating roofs, each level opening to the Pacific through walls of glass and deep view decks.

As designed, the home offers a three-bedroom, three-bath main residence on the first level, including a bonus room set up as an alt-master suite, plus a near thousand-square-foot two-bedroom, two-bath ADU above. French doors connect the ADU living room to the main home’s second-floor loft, so the home can live as a single five-bedroom, five-bath residence, or stay separate for rental income, multi-generational living, a home office, or a guest retreat.

The plans, the architecture, and the permitting are already done. A buyer is purchasing clarity and a defined path to construction.

The Tokyo House from Bluebird Canyon Drive, stepping up the hillside in warm wood and glass

One Home, or Two

Designed to live either way

The same complete design gives a buyer two homes in one, and the freedom to choose which.

As One Residence

Add the french doors the ADU was designed to allow, and the two levels connect into a single five-bedroom, five-bath family home, with room to spread out across both floors.

As Two

Keep them separate: a three-bed, three-bath main residence, including a bonus room set up as an alt-master suite, with its own two-bed, two-bath ADU. Ideal for rental income, multi-generational living, a home office, or a guest retreat.

Both configurations come from the same complete plan set. The connecting french doors are designed into the plans; any change of use follows the city's standard process.

ii.Design Story

The ocean side of the Tokyo House, curved glass decks stepping toward the Pacific

Two visions, side by side

The Tokyo House was not designed to be sold. It was designed to be lived in.

David M. Parker, AIA drew 1560 Bluebird Canyon Drive as a home for its owner, shaped around the way he actually wanted to live on this ridgeline. That intention is in every part of it: the warmth of the wood, the way the rooms open to the Pacific, the near thousand-square-foot second residence tucked within it for family close by.

Plans change, and the owner is now open to passing it on. But what he built for himself is still what you would be buying.

Next door sits its counterpart, the Kyoto House at 1550, by Horst Architects. Two architects, two distinct visions, drawn in conjunction for neighboring lots. One reaches skyward with quiet discipline. The other settles into the slope with warmth and movement.

They were always meant to sit well together, and they do. Which opens up something rare on this quiet stretch of Bluebird Canyon.

A Rare Pairing

Two homes. One ridgeline.

The Tokyo House and the Kyoto House sit on neighboring lots, drawn by two different architects in conjunction with one another, meant to complement rather than match. That opens up options few coastal buyers ever get.

Site model showing the Kyoto House at 1550 and the Tokyo House at 1560 together on the Bluebird Canyon ridgeline — Site model showing The Kyoto House (1550 BCD), and The Tokyo House (1560 BCD) together on the shared Bluebird Canyon ridgeline.

Site model images shown for illustrative purposes; final architecture and landscaping subject to the approved plan set.

The Kyoto House

stillness

1550 Bluebird Canyon Drive. By Horst Architects. Vertical, disciplined, reaching skyward. Recipient of a 2025 AIA National New Residential Design Award.

The Tokyo House

motion

1560 Bluebird Canyon Drive. By David M. Parker, AIA. Horizontal, warm, settled into the slope.

Take one

Buy the Tokyo House on its own, and watch what rises next door in time.

Build both together

Coordinate construction across both lots and share the efficiencies of a single effort.

Family, side by side

Two neighboring homes for one family across generations, close but independent.

Visit the Kyoto House →

iv.Floor Plans

The home, floor by floor

Architectural plans by David M. Parker, AIA. Tap any plan to enlarge. Square footages are from the approved project-data set and are approximate.

Living Level

First Floor

On this level, tap a room

Tap any room above to see a short note. Room names are taken from the stamped plans.

Verified areas

Living Area2,296.05 sf
Decks296.73 sf

The heart of the home, opening west toward the Pacific. Areas per the approved area-calculation sheets.

Second floor and ADU architectural plan of the Tokyo House

Private Level & ADU

Second Floor & ADU

On this level, tap a room

Tap any room above to see a short note. Room names are taken from the stamped plans.

Verified areas

Main Residence (this level)146.77 sf
ADU Living Area999.87 sf
Decks (main + ADU)637.79 sf

A full second home above, private and flexible, with its own deck. Areas per the approved area-calculation sheets.

v.Features

Designed for how you live

Curved Floating Roofs

Gently arced, painted-metal hipped roofs follow the slope, shelter with softness, a silhouette that settles rather than asserts.

Near-1,000 sf ADU

A genuine second home within the home: master suite, sitting room, two baths, and a bedroom or office, with its own deck and entrance.

Private Spa

The plans include an on-grade spa sheltered by the hillside and native plantings. Recirculating, intimate, positioned for the canyon and sky, and ready to build during construction.

Walls of Glass

Glass that runs floor to ceiling in the key rooms, on multiple elevations. The Pacific lived alongside, never simply viewed.

Private Elevator

The plans are designed to allow a private elevator connecting all three levels, arrival, living, and the private suites above, ready to add during construction.

Native Coastal Landscape

By M.D. Wilkes Design. Western Redbud, Holm Oak, and a drought-tolerant, fire-compliant coastal palette.

Fire-Forward Construction

Designed to current Laguna Beach fire standards, with an approved Alternative Methods & Materials report for the high fire severity zone.

Entitlement-Complete

Complete plans in hand. Permits have been cleared and approved for issuance, and the site is fully prepped, graded and rain-weatherproofed, enough to roll on with steel and begin caissons and retaining walls. The hardest, most uncertain steps are already behind you. This entitlement took more than two years and multiple City Council hearings to secure.

vi.Path to Completion

A defined path, already begun

The most difficult steps are behind you. Timeframes are estimates and may vary with buyer selections and contractor scheduling.

Today

Acquisition, permit-ready

Purchase the homesite with a complete plan set, processed over the counter as by-right/Design Review exempt under SB9. The most uncertain entitlement steps are already complete.

Now

Building permits ready to pull

The site is fully prepped, graded and rain-weatherproofed, and permit issuance has been cleared and approved. Construction may begin promptly upon issuance.

0–4 Months

Pre-construction

Contractor selection, final pricing, material selections, and scheduling. High-level cost ranges available on request.

Following Permits

Groundbreak

Site preparation, grading, and foundation work. An opportunity to coordinate with the adjacent Kyoto parcel for shared efficiencies.

Upon Completion

Certificate of Occupancy

Issued upon successful completion of all inspections. Move-in follows immediately after.

vii.Buyer FAQ

Questions, answered

Can you build in Laguna Beach without Design Review?+

On most lots, no. On this one, yes. Development at 1560 Bluebird Canyon Drive is by-right under SB9 and exempt from discretionary Design Review, so no Design Review Board approval is required. Plans are reviewed over the counter against objective zoning standards. That is unusual in Laguna Beach, and it is the single biggest thing this property offers.

What exactly is being offered?+

A permit-ready coastal homesite at 1560 Bluebird Canyon Drive (Parcel 2 / Lot B), Laguna Beach. It is the land together with a complete architectural plan set for a new single-family residence with an accessory dwelling unit, processed over the counter as by-right/Design Review exempt under SB9. It is neither a finished home nor raw land.

What approvals are complete?+

The plans are complete and, because the project is by-right/Design Review exempt under SB9, they were processed as an over-the-counter ministerial review rather than discretionary design review. The site is fully prepped, graded and rain-weatherproofed, and permit issuance has been cleared and approved. This lot is now truly shovel-ready. I am glad to walk you through exactly where the project stands and share the full plan set.

How big is the home?+

The main residence is approximately 2,442 sq ft across two levels, plus a near 1,000 sq ft ADU, roughly 3,442 sq ft of combined living space, with a 535 sq ft two-car garage and about 779 sq ft of decks and terraces, on an 8,582 sq ft lot. Figures are from the approved project-data set and are approximate.

What are the views from the property?+

Panoramic ocean and Catalina views out front, with the canyon wrapping the sides. The lot sits up off the road on its own rise, which is what gives it the outlook. All of the decks are positioned to take in the ocean, and based on the plans each interior room is oriented toward either an ocean or a canyon view.

How soon could I break ground?+

As soon as the building permit is pulled. From groundbreak, eighteen months is the best case to completion and twenty four months is the realistic number to plan around. I am glad to walk through exactly what the remaining steps involve.

Tell me about the ADU.+

The ADU is a substantial second living space: two bedrooms and two baths, a sitting room, walk-in, and a private deck. It has been thoughtfully designed to allow french doors to connect it to the main level, so the property can live as one five-bedroom, five-bath home, or stay separate for rental income, multi-generational living, a home office, or a guest retreat. Both configurations come from the same complete plans; any change of use follows the city's standard process.

Why does the SB9 ministerial path matter in Laguna Beach?+

Laguna Beach is one of the most restrictive coastal entitlement environments in Southern California. Because this project is by-right/Design Review exempt under SB9, development is reviewed over the counter against objective zoning code only, not through discretionary design review. Any change need only comply with objective code and must be approved or denied by the city within 30 days, or it is automatically approved under state law. That removes a large amount of the time and process uncertainty a buyer would normally face.

Who designed the home?+

David M. Parker, AIA designed the Tokyo House at 1560. The neighboring Kyoto House at 1550 is by Horst Architects; the two were drawn in conjunction to complement each other. Landscape by M.D. Wilkes Design; civil engineering by Toal Engineering; fire-compliance (AM&M) by Dudek.

Can I buy both lots?+

Yes. The Tokyo House and the Kyoto House sit on neighboring lots, designed in conjunction by two different architects. You could take the Tokyo House on its own, plan for both as side-by-side family homes, or build the two together and share the efficiencies of a single construction effort. Reach out and I am glad to walk you through it.

What makes the location special?+

A quiet Bluebird Canyon ridgeline above the village. Private, low-traffic, no HOA, with quick routes to PCH and Main Beach just minutes away. This is where Laguna's artists, surfers, and architects have always chosen to live.

ix.The Site

The land itself

Perched on a Bluebird Canyon ridge, with panoramic ocean and Catalina views out front and the canyon wrapping the sides. The home is oriented so that every room should look out on one or the other.

The actual view from the site, looking toward the Pacific over Bluebird Canyon

The view from the ridge today, looking toward the Pacific. Drone photograph of the actual site.

Rendered view of the two homes composited onto the actual Bluebird Canyon hillside with the ocean and village beyond

The completed vision, shown on the actual hillside. The Kyoto House at left and the Tokyo House at right, with Laguna village and the Pacific beyond. Rendered composite for illustration.

This is high ground in Bluebird Canyon, one of the quiet residential ridges above the village. The lot sits up off the road with the canyon falling away to the sides and panoramic ocean and Catalina views opening to the front, which is what gives the home its outlook. All of the decks are positioned to take in the ocean. Based on the plans, the interior rooms are oriented so that each should have either an ocean or a canyon view, given the home's position on the hill.

It is a short drive down to Laguna village, Main Beach, and the coast, while the ridge itself stays private and low-traffic. There is no HOA.

Aerial parcel overlay showing 1550 and 1560 Bluebird Canyon Drive lots and their sizes

The two lots, side by side. 1560 (Parcel 2) is 8,582 sq ft; 1550 (Parcel 1) is 12,364 sq ft.

Wider aerial showing both lots within the surrounding Bluebird Canyon neighborhood

Both parcels in neighborhood context.

Parcel map locating 1550 and 1560 Bluebird Canyon Drive

Parcel map, Laguna Beach.

How the home sits on the lot

The architect's stamped site plan, showing the building footprint, garage, spa, patio, and decks placed on the 8,582 square foot parcel. Tap either drawing to enlarge.

Architect's stamped site plan showing the home's footprint on the lot

Site plan by David M. Parker, AIA. Building footprint and hardscape on Parcel 2.

Setback plan showing property lines and required yard setbacks

Setback plan. Property lines and yard setbacks, with 117.92 ft of frontage on Bluebird Canyon Drive.

1560 Bluebird Canyon DrAddress

Parcel 2 / Lot BParcel

8,582 sfLot Area

R-1 · No HOAZoning

~117.92 ftFrontage

Connect

Let's talk about the Tokyo House

If this feels like it could be the right fit, I'd be glad to share more: the full plans, construction cost guidance, timeline details, and the story behind the design. No pressure at all, just a conversation.

Listing Broker

Brandon Brown

BayBrook Realty · DRE #01394509

949-232-4044
brandon@baybrookrealty.net

Co-Listing Agent

Fred James

Westend Properties · DRE #01097353

949-584-1765

The Sister Property

The Kyoto House

1550 Bluebird Canyon Drive

View the Kyoto House →

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A shovel-ready vision, settled into the ridgeline