The AIA Los Angeles spring home tour, 'East and West of the 405' featured four beautiful homes in LA, and we shared thoughts and images on the first and second of the four homes in a previous post.
To follow up with the second half of the tour, we're taking a look at Homes 3 and 4- projects which
reflect an impressive monumentality not typically seen in residential
architecture.
Hope you enjoy our favorite details, design features and architectural
elements found at these two distinctive and impressive houses as much as we did!
Stone Ridge Residence
Stone Ridge Residence, by David Thompson of Assembledge+ and Billy Rose Design was a recent addition and renovation to an existing house along Mulholland Drive in Bel Air.
Stone Ridge Residence, by David Thompson of Assembledge+ and Billy Rose Design was a recent addition and renovation to an existing house along Mulholland Drive in Bel Air.
The entry employs masonry, glass, and concrete to convey a sense of scale, further emphasized by the massing of rectangular forms framing the entry. The redesign of the home utilizes the original material, brick, at much of the
exterior, creating continuity between old and new.
A water feature adds movement and an additional layer of texture and softness to contrast the extensive use of brick and concrete. 
At the interior, a reclaimed wood stair and vertical rods extend upward to the new second floor above. Alongside the stair
is a dramatic sculptural wall, a contrast to the rustic
nature of the wood at its base.
Clean transitions and creative material applications were consistent
throughout the spaces- the interplay of form, geometry and layering of
materials added interest, while maintaining a contemporary aesthetic.
The rear of the home takes advantage of the large site and extensive
views while simultaneously creating spaces of a more intimate scale at
certain locations, including a custom water feature of cor-ten steel and board-formed
concrete with several outdoor fireplaces. Visible from the floating
glass windows at the second story, one's eye is drawn to this sculptural
element in the landscape that reaches out towards the view with a
cantilevered fountain.
One of the best surprises about this
property was the working garden at the far end of the property- tiered
to follow the hillside and to maintain the view from above. Any homeowner would be inspired to hone a green thumb with these views!
Nightingale Residence
The Nightingale Residence by architect Zoltan Pali of SPF:a
and Dugally-Oberfeld Builders completed the tour with another
spectacular view of Los Angeles. The single-story home is oriented
towards the view of the Pacific, with a courtyard plan, featuring large
glass sliding doors in order to create a strong connection to the
outdoors from all the main living spaces.
Jogs along the building footprint create
view corridors and framed vignettes, providing interest and separating
different functional spaces without blocking visual access.
At locations where glass isn't the predominant material, the exterior is clad with resin composite panels, creating increased contrast to the transparency of the glass at the courtyard.
Thanks for joining us on the tour, and we'll see you next time!
