The Malibu Resdence is unique in both its design and construction. The project was conceived of during a period when no new building permits were being given in the city of Malibu. Despite the scope of work requested by the client, the project needed to be a remodel and the house could not extend above its existing height. The decision was made to add a lower level addition in the hillside below the existing house. The challenge was to support the existing house while completely rebuilding underneath it. The house is designed as a subtly modern remake of the existing simple ranch style home. The traditional massing and general appearance of the home was maintained while the detailing was reconceived with a clean modern sensibility. The dichotomy of the traditional forms with modern detailing is most clearly expressed in the exterior siding. The siding is a very modern green rain screen yet it is detailed to recall the board and batten that previously existed on the house.

With reference to mid century design and a spectacular site, the Malibu Residence is a unique residential vision. Sun and shadow studies and knowledge of prevailing winds were used to shape the home. Research into green building materials and technologies are guiding the design’s development. The project is built into a steep slope on a two acre lot. The slope hides the mass of the home. Ocean views are framed diagonally across interior spaces creating a dynamic flow of space and circulation. The 4800 square foot house and 750 square foot guest house create a luxurious and sophisticated environment for its owners.

A double-sided fireplace at the center of the home anchors the design. The fireplace is the sole dividing feature between the living room, den, and dining room. The chimney shaft continues up through a double height living room and past a playroom above the dining and den spaces. The circulation spirals around the fireplace and chimney shaft. The Santa Monica neighborhood where the project is located consists of a mixture of mostly traditional homes with a few modern projects. The project is able to achieve a unique voice that is both clearly modern, yet also contextual. The warm contemporary look of the home was achieved both through color and by mixing modern and traditional finish materials. The project entailed a major remodel and addition to an existing 2580 sq. ft. house. The area of the house was increased to 4290 sq. ft. mostly through second floor additions, with little change to the footprint.

This 4744 sq. ft. project with additional subterranean parking is currently in construction. The project consists of two ground floor retail spaces and two second story live work lofts. The cubist composition of the building provides a clean powerful design that both fulfills zoning obligations and creates a maximum amount of rentable space for the buildings owners. The design anticipates future infill projects on adjacent lots, with recess for light and air along its side elevations. Across from the recently redone Virginia Park, the project adds to the vitality and pedestrian friendly scale of the stretch of Pico Blvd.

The pair of detached single-family homes has a contemporary loft-like feel. Vertical, double-height space was used to counteract the limitations of the narrow, twenty-five foot wide, lots. The vertical spaces create light-filled, visually active public areas for the homes. The stairs to the roof decks hang over the living rooms, which both activates the space and gives a visual connection between all the public spaces of the homes. The two units share a mirrored floor plan, which saved on development costs, yet each unit has a distinct visual presence.

The project is a new duplex on a steep hillside lot in the Echo Park section of Los Angeles. The building has been sited to both maximize views and its solar orientation. The narrow rectangular shape of the building is ideally suited both for passive solar and to minimize excavation of the hillside. The project is still in design but the orientation and massing of the building have been considered from a sustainability standpoint. The initial design decisions of shape and size are in many ways the most critical design decisions of the whole project. The subsequent decisions that are currently being made regarding building systems and materials are now able to reinforce the initial strategic decisions rather then having to try and compensate for them. To see progress photos go to: http://1941.tumblr.com/