The
design takes the classic 20’s L.A. Spanish box hillside house, guts it
back to the studs and rebuilds and mutates it into an environmentally responsive
series of indoor and outdoor spaces. It now responds to the view of the Hollywood
Hills, the sun, the wind, the landscape. There is a buried old house and an
enveloping new house, but it is not clear where one ends and the other begins.
A sealed space carved out of the center of the house contains a mini-ecosytem with running water, simulated rain, and a wide variety of tropical plants, epiphytes and orchids.
Large
swooping elliptical curves and apertures in the walls play off the classic expressive
walls that enclose Spanish garden courtyards. The wing walls of the house morph
down into new terraced gardens. the slope of land behind will have a switchback
sloping path, crossing a curving line of stairs snaking through gardens and
outdoor rooms.
a
box of bright sparkley white stucco with mica dust on the outside and warm redwood,
pine and bright colors on the inside. each room is a different bright color:
orange gathering space, green dining room, brown & pink media room, concrete
& cedar bathroom, steely blue bedroom, yellow kitchen, aqua excercise room,
lavender office. the repressive white stucco box is carved up to reveal an effusive,
humane & heterogeneous interior.
Credits: Fritz
Haeg Studio team: Matthew Au, Krystal Chang, Louisa Van Leer / cabinetry
& woodwork: John Shephard / contractor:
Cornerstone Construction & Design / structural
engineers: Vern Dragomeer / terrarium
plantings & systems: Greenmeme / pool:
Encino Pool & Spa / fabrics:
Maharam / low
voltage, audio & video systems: Doug Hammond