Sited to take advantage of the sun and ocean breezes, this ground up, two-story residence was designed as a “minimal compound.” The bachelor client’s lifestyle required few full-height walls, which liberated the design from a more conventional plan. The interlocking of volume and light throughout the house, coupled with exterior courtyards flanking each side of the living space, extended the modest footprint while making the structure feel much larger than 1,750 square feet.

A large roof deck further expanded the house with city views and provided space for photovoltaic and solar thermal panels (for a radiant heat and hot water), allowing the building to be energy self-sufficient. Additionally, instead of placing the front of the house close to the street, it was set back toward the middle of the property to forgo the typical Los Angeles “front yard.” This created a buffer zone from the busy residential street while displacing a typical water intensive front lawn. The exterior embraces the ‘green ethos’ by highlighting the solar panels as an integral aesthetic design feature to the facade.