Luxurious Brentwood Residence set in Santa Monica Mountains, Los Angeles

Santa Monica-based architectural practice Belzberg Architects completed the Brentwood Residence project in 2007. The stunning residential building is located on a large picturesque lot in the foothills of the Santa Monica Mountains, Los Angeles.

According to the architects: “The Brentwood Residence is located on a large picturesque lot in the foothills of the Santa Monica Mountains. Because the lot did not offer any immediate views from the buildable area of the property, the structures that comprise the project were designed to engage each other while focusing attention on the built and natural landscape within.  The lot features a large California Oak tree on the rear half of the site which serves as the focal point of the formal procession through the project.  To counteract the formal setup of the site plan the spatial organisation has been setup to challenge the established axis without eroding it.

“To achieve this, pathways have been intentionally designed to dissolve and reappear along the route.  The line clearly divides the formal living area of the main house from the informal public spaces but it is counteracted by the complex interlocking geometry and asymmetrical volumes that make up the exterior.

“As a homage to the palette of classic Mid-Century design, the house features a material composition of steel troweled plaster, gauged and stacked Pennsylvania Bluestone and Mangaris wood siding.

“The main house kitchen was conceived as the backbone of the informal family gathering space of the residence.  By programming the larger appliances to the south and west walls, the kitchen serves as a transition space between the public and private areas while maintaining a very open feel with the adjacent family room.  The materials used in the interior design compliment the clean modern feel that exists throughout the house with an emphasis placed on being warm and inviting.

“The guest house kitchen was designed to serve both indoor and outdoor spaces simultaneously.  The kitchen features a nine foot long sliding glass door mounted on top of the counter.  The jambs have been integrated with the door to allow for a seamless transition between the indoor kitchen and the outdoor dining area.  In order to erode the line between inside and out even more, the materials and detailing of the kitchen elements are kept the same inside and out.  The materials selected had to be suitable for the elements and low maintenance while maintaining the clean modern aesthetic of the rest of the house.”

Images courtesy of Art Gray Photography, Fotoworks and Benny Chan

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