Laurel Hills Residence

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 an oversized charcoal-coloured board, batten extira and cement board siding. A deep overhang mitigates solar heat gain and shields from sun exposure.

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. 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 sightlines, 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.

Location: Studio City, California

Size: 4,900 sf

Design Team: David Thompson (Principal-in-Charge), Gregory Marin (Project Manager), Raul Aguilera (Project Architect), Can Jiang

Interior Design: Susan Mitnick Design

Landscape Design: Fiore Landscape Design

Photography: Matthew Millman

2020 Architecture Masterprize, Residential Architecture – Single Family, Honorable Mention

2020 DNA Paris Design Awards, Architecture/Housing, Winner

2020 Gold Nugget Awards, Best Custom Home 4,000 – 6,000 SF, Merit Award

2020 Gray Awards, Architecture Residential, Finalist

2020 International Design Awards, Architecture Category: House, Silver Award

2020 Los Angeles Business Council Architectural Awards, Winner, Housing, Single-Family Category

2020 Luxe RED Awards, Reader’s Choice Contemporary/Modern Architecture, Winner

2019 Southern California Development Forum, Single Family Residential, Merit Award