Composed of three pavilions connected by a series of glass hallways, the single-story residence seeks to create a residential oasis in the heart of Los Angeles. The Western Red Cedar lined guest house/garage pavilion establishes a datum line that carves and connects the two larger volumes of the living and sleeping pavilions, comprised of oversized charcoal-colored board, batten extira and cement board siding. A deep overhang mitigates solar heat gain and shields from the sun exposure.
Project Name: Laurel Hills Residence
Studio Name: Assembledge+
Project size: 4900 ft2
Completion date: 2019
Building levels: 1
Location: Los Angeles, United States
Photography: Matthew Millman
A walkway of concrete pavers, lined by wild grasses leads to the front door, passing a tranquil courtyard with olive trees. The entry to the house is located within a glass hallway connecting the living pavilion to the west and the sleeping pavilion to the east, establishing a sense of intimate scale before engaging with the other parts of the house.
The fluidity between the kitchen, breakfast room and family room, designed for uninterrupted entertainment, creates a harmony of transparency and lightness. A glass hallway connecting the guest pavilion to the living area makes metaphorical reference to geological history, spanning bridge-like across an old creek that once ran through the property.
Unlike many iconic Los Angeles homes that orient themselves around panoramic city views, the Laurel Hills Residence is in the foothills of the famed Laurel Canyon, where the property offers a secluded and inwardly focused experience with a majestic backdrop of lush and mature trees.
The entire site here is treated as we are accustomed to treating interiors. The surrounding trees and hills are taken to be the building envelope and the exterior walls of the house are reconceived as a series of partition walls. Instead of only externalizing interior spaces, exterior spaces are also internalized. The grounds are interlocked with the interior space and the entire ensemble is activated by the purposeful arrangement of deeply layered sight lines, vignettes and circulation connections. Large windows, skylights, and pocketing doors infuse the home with natural light, reflecting off wooden floors and marble countertops.
Outside, the 40-foot-long pool and ample space create a series of outdoor rooms for outdoor entertaining. A minimalist palette of charcoal-colored panels and Western Red Cedar serves as a neutral canvas, complementing the home’s landscape featuring California native species.
The large surface area of the living volume provides enough surface for over fifty solar panels that allow the residence to be sustainable and remove itself from the city power grid.
