Steven Harris’s underground Porsche garage in California

Architect Steven Harris built a new home around an underground garage to house his 50 Porsche cars, uniting precision in design with the brand’s timeless philosophy.

From the outside, Steven Harris’s home in Rancho Mirage looks like a quiet tribute to his architectural philosophy — clear lines, simplicity, and respect for context. But the true masterpiece lies beneath the surface: an underground garage housing his lifelong passion — a remarkable collection of Porsche sports cars.

Harris’s fascination began at the age of eight, when his uncle bought a Porsche 356. Years later, his father acquired a 1967 911 S, and the young student convinced him to let him “keep the plugs clean.” That moment, he says, defined his sense of precision and form — a love for design that evolves without excess.

When his architectural career and Yale teaching allowed, Harris returned to that obsession. He began collecting 356 Carrera models with the legendary four-cam Fuhrmann engine, followed by rare 911 Carrera RS cars. Today, his collection exceeds fifty Porsche vehicles — from the 1973 911 Carrera RS 2.7 and the 993 GT2 to modern GT3 RS and 911 S/T models. Some stand out in rare Paint to Sample shades such as Chartreuse and Light Green.

When space in his mid-century house ran out, Harris designed a new one — essentially built around a garage. Local laws limited above-ground parking to three bays, so one became an elevator shaft leading to a subterranean hall. Below ground, twenty Porsche cars are parked on a gentle diagonal, each accessible without moving another. “It’s a garage, not a museum,” he says. Harris drives almost daily, often before sunrise along the twisting Route 74 toward Idyllwild. He has also taken his 356 on the legendary Peking to Paris rally and a 16,000-kilometer run through South America.

His architecture follows the same principles as his favorite brand: functionality, endurance, and restraint. “Porsche evolves slowly and precisely,” Harris explains. “It has as few parts as possible. I aim for the same in my work.” His Rancho Mirage home embodies that idea — where engineering and beauty merge as naturally as the engine and body of a 911.

“I’m just the caretaker,” he says quietly. “These cars will belong to someone else one day.” In that thought lies the essence of his craft — to build something that outlives its maker, effortless and inevitable.