161 N Garden Street Ventura home by Richard Orne architect, California live/work compound real estate photos
161 N Garden Street Ventura, California
January 17, 2026
Richard Orne’s California compound
Location: Ventura, California, USA
Architect Richard Orne’s personal four-structure live/work compound has come to market for $2,100,000 with Brian Linder, AIA of Compass.
Photos by Cameron Carothers
161 N Garden Street Ventura, California, USA
Located in downtown Ventura, less than a mile from the beach, the rare dual-zoned residential and commercial property was created by Orne as both his private residence and architectural studio—offering a purpose-built creative campus that allows living, working, and income-producing potential within one thoughtfully designed environment.
Set within a walkable neighborhood near Main Street and Ventura Avenue, the compound is surrounded by bike paths connecting the coastline to Ojai and Pine Mountain, independent shops and restaurants, parks, and trail systems—capturing the relaxed coastal lifestyle Ventura is known for while remaining uniquely suited to makers, entrepreneurs, and creatives.
The property is comprised of a renovated vintage 1920s bungalow at the rear of the site and three newly constructed stand-alone structures at the front—each featuring a one-bedroom apartment above and a studio workspace below—woven together by landscaped outdoor gardens and courtyard spaces.
The contemporary buildings feature cantilevered orthogonal volumes, exposed structural steel, corrugated metal cladding, and ribbon window systems that evoke the spirit of Southern California’s Case Study House program, reinterpreted for modern live/work living. Interiors maintain a restrained material palette with polished concrete, Marmoleum flooring, sliding polycarbonate panels, operable windows for cross-ventilation, and framed views toward nearby hills and distant snow-capped mountains.
Full property details below.
Listing: https://www.compass.com/homedetails/161-N-Garden-St-Ventura-CA-93001/1988062934599879601_lid/
Listed With: Brian Linder, AIA, Compass
Price: $2,100,000
Property Description:
Richard Orne, Architect
Garden Street Studios
Escape the pressures of big city life for this unique live/work art compound less than a mile from the beach in downtown Ventura. At the confluence of Main Street and Ventura Avenue, this property is ideally suited to take advantage of the many delicious restaurants, cozy boutiques, public parks, and hiking trails that make this small city such a charming place to live.
Bike paths nearby go up and down the coast, inland to Ojai and Pine Mountain, and beyond. Here you can let your guard down: your shoulders relax, it’s easy to find parking, and a friendly greeting from passersby is common in this pedestrian-friendly community.
In a quiet neighborhood, with an existing mix of multi-unit residential, commercial, artists’ studios, and light industry, on a two-block long street with no through traffic, the architect has created a compelling environment for living and working in community. Legally zoned for both commercial and residential purposes, four separate structures on the property allow for a variety of live/work configurations.
On one hand, the combination provides an outstanding single-family alternative, with four bedrooms, four bathrooms, and three additional studio spaces, each with its own powder room. On the other hand, the property represents a unique investor opportunity as fully-rentable income property. Each unit has its own individual utility metering, with the possibility of as many as seven different tenants, and all units will be delivered vacant at closing. Finally, as a commercial property, the individual spaces could be used for storefront, office, creative, fabrication, or retail purposes. The permutations and possibilities are virtually endless.
The architecture itself is quite exciting, with a vintage 1920s bungalow in back and three new stand-alone structures in front, each with a one-bedroom apartment upstairs and a studio space downstairs, and lushly-landscaped outdoor gardens and courtyards in between. The cantilevered orthogonal volumes, exposed structural steel, corrugated metal cladding, and ribbon window system are evocative of the Case Study House program, enhanced for contemporary living.
Inside, a restrained palette of materials enlivens interactions, with sliding polycarbonate panels, polished concrete and colorful Marmoleum floors, and operable windows for cross breezes and views of nearby hills and snowcapped mountains beyond. The original bungalow has been completely renovated from top to bottom, with metal board-and-batten siding in dialogue with the front buildings, cork floors, all new finishes, covered decks, and French doors opening onto a private outdoor patio.
4 Addresses, 7 Units
4 Bedrooms, 3 Studios
7 Bathrooms
3,723 Square Feet
7,840 SF Lot
Photographs by Cameron Carothers
161 N Garden Street Ventura home by Richard Orne, California real estate images / information received 170126
Location: 161 N Garden Street Ventura, northwest of Los Angeles, Southern California, USA.
Ventura County Property
Ventura County Building Designs – selection from e-architect:
440 Mariposa Drive Ventura home
photo : Andrew Orozco
Working Artists in Ventura WAV California building
building photo : Bruce Prescott
Ojai Valley School Upper Campus buildings, Ventura County
Design: Frederick Fisher and Partners
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Los Angeles Real Estate Designs
Los Angeles Architecture Designs
L.A. Architecture Designs – chronological list
Los Angeles Architecture – California coast properties selection below:
Harry Gesner’s Sandcastle Malibu Beach Home
Architects: Harry Gesner
photo courtesy of Mike Helfrich
Bruce Jenner’s former Malibu beach house
American Architect Studios
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Southern California Luxury Homes
Big Sur Modern, Caiofrnia Central Coast
Design: Heinz Legler and Veronique Lievre
Modernique Home, Mar Vista, West Los Angeles County
Architects: Gregory Ain
Hutton Drive 2641, Beverly Hills
Architecture: Whipple Russell Architects
Buildings / photos for the 161 N Garden Street Ventura home by Richard Orne in Ventura California real estate design, USA page welcome.
