This house is the transformation of an existing intimate 1100 sf bungalow into an expanded space for a growing family. The site is one of the few remaining through block lots in the Ocean Park section of Santa Monica. It gently slopes towards a local public park and has a dramatic western view of the Pacific Ocean.

This house is located on a dramatic steeply sloping site overlooking the San Juan Islands and the Pacific Ocean. The clients asked that the new single family residence not infringe on the existing vegetation but rather incorporate it into the design. Granite outcroppings, eighty-foot tall cedars, stands of white maples and arbutus, and mature spruce are scattered throughout the hillside.

This house is located on a dramatic steeply sloping site overlooking the San Juan Islands and the Pacific Ocean. The clients asked that the new single family residence not infringe on the existing vegetation but rather incorporate it into the design. Granite outcroppings, eighty-foot tall cedars, stands of white maples and arbutus, and mature spruce are scattered throughout the hillside.

On this 5,000 sf site in Ocean Park, a southern section of Santa Monica, sat an empty lot with a small two bedroom bungalow-style cottage. Leaving the existing bungalow to face the street, a new house behind turns to address the sloping topography of the site. The spaces are stepped to notch into the grade change that crosses the site.

The lowest level is parking for four cars (two spaces are required for the existing house), with an enclosed gravel yard. The living spaces, kitchen, and outdoor patio area are located directly above, barely concealed by transparent panels. The moveable panels control the amount of light brought into the space as well as the level of breeze through the entire floor.

The house is organized by two wings of sleeping quarters which flank a large living/dining space. These three building elements form a courtyard, with a swimming pool notched into one side, that opens to the grove below and the coastal view beyond. A continuous cantilevered concrete slab enables the house to float above the site at the level of the treetops of the surrounding citrus orchard.

In Tarzana, California, the clients found a 1968 tract house which they demolished to the perimeter walls. A completely new series of living spaces are clustered around a large custom-made cabinet and screen elements. The new living room, which is the focus of the cluster, is defined on one edge by a fireplace clad in unalloyed aluminum, on another other edge a pivoting wood screen enables the dining room to be closed off for intimate dinners or open to accommodate large parties.