Sea Ranch Chapel

Gifted to the Sea Ranch community by residents Robert and Betty Buffum in memory of Kirk Ditzler, this nondenominational chapel was designed by artist-architect James Hubbell and completed in December 1985. Built without formal architectural plans — Hubbell's team of local boat builders lofted the curving, seashell-like roofline full-size from a small hand-built model — the 360-square-foot chapel won AIA and Pacific Coast Builders Conference honors and made the cover of Progressive Architecture magazine.

Inside, the 360 square feet do a lot: a sculpted plaster ceiling opens overhead like a flower, with real seashells and sea urchins from nearby beaches embedded in it; jewel-toned stained glass gifted by the Ditzler family shifts color as the light moves through the day; and the hand-carved redwood seats, posts, and shelves look as if they're growing out of the floor and walls. Walk the full exterior first — the copper-spired, shell-like silhouette seems to rise out of the bluff — then sit for a few minutes: the quiet itself is what most visitors remember.

Sits within The Sea Ranch, a covenant-protected community built around a "living lightly on the land" design ethos since 1964 — context that explains why such an unusual structure exists among otherwise understated coastal homes. Pairs well with Gualala Point Regional Park or the public beach-access trails along the Sea Ranch bluffs. The Ilan-Lael Foundation (James Hubbell's own foundation) publishes a detailed account of the design and construction process for anyone curious about the architecture.