MALIBU COVE COLONY, Malibu A white cube on a 50 foot wide ocean front lot is carved to create a house of light and shade. Boundaries are dissolved and space expanded with the continuity of materials and forms used indoors and out to make maximum use of minimum space.
Painted wood grillwork is used in and out, horizontal and vertical - as walls, windows, railings, lattice - providing a strong unifying element which leads, separates, and defines spaces while creating privacy from nearby neighbors.
3400 sq. ft. of living and sleeping space revolves around the two-story skylit entry. Upstairs bedrooms and library take advantage of this light through windows that overlook the atrium. Light and views are everywhere while privacy is maintained.
COLONY BEACH, Malibu
An exceptionally deep and narrow lot (30' x 250') posed a challenge to maximize interior and exterior space while maintaining privacy from neighbors just 3 feet away. A lush garden feels larger in contrast to the narrow entry passage. Trellis-covered walkways meander through the site, stitching it together. Continuous use of stone paving extends from the street through the house to the pool - visually enhancing the width of the property.
Entering the middle of the house minimizes the length and allows separation of adult and child activities. A central skylit 2-story kitchen and glass lanai at the ocean side pulls light into the house without losing privacy. Beveled wood siding, gabled windows, stone paving and wood beam ceilings create an appropriate scale and character for this beachfront cottage on its narrow site.
JENNY HOUSE, Zuma Beach, Malibu
Perched on a shelf above the Pacific, this white villa has ocean and coastline views and inland mountain and canyon views in all directions. The design stresses flowing and uncluttered interior and exterior geometry capable everywhere of allowing nature to show through.
A continuous curved wall runs through the house, tying inside to out. A stepped facade on the south frames coastline views from each of the living spaces. Plaster arches and trellises define outdoor areas, and provide sun protection. The exposed wood beam interior ceilings become outdoor trellis-covered patios. Concrete floors and decks further expand and unify the site.
EINSTEIN HOUSE, Brentwood
Twenty five years ago, we designed the main house - 3500 square feet around a central walkway stepping up a sloping site. Ten years ago, with a growing art collection, 3500 square feet were added. The rectangular geometry of the original house was extended as a curving stairway sweeps uphill in a continuing progression of spaces.
Faceted glass walls act as a foil to the right angle geometry of the house and allow the softness of north light. The circulation system terminates in an indoor / outdoor sitting pavilion with the sculpture garden and natural outdoor amphitheater on one side and the gallery space serving as a cloister for art on the other.
It is a fusion of art, architecture and natural beauty.
P>SOMERFELD RESIDENCE, Malibu The Somerfeld Residence is sited on a dramatic hilltop overlooking the Pacific Ocean more than 200 feet below. This modern Mediterranean home is a village of white, sunlit pavilions reflecting surrounding landforms, with a wavelike copper entry sculpture referencing the sea beyond.
Organized around a central entry court and circular hallway, the house frames a variety of sweeping views of this dramatic panorama. The house consists of living, library, and kitchen pavilions connected by intermediate spaces for dining, breakfast, and bar areas. By varying the size and shape of these spaces, each maintains its own unique character while flowing from one to the next. Flagsone and wood floors weave through plaster walls with clusters of meloucha trees between pavilions.
The landscape is a decorative mixture of native plant material. It is "architecture that shelters without enclosing and defines without limiting."