Hollywood Hills Residence

Sited on a hill sloping toward panoramic views of downtown Los Angeles, this home built for a family in the film industry becomes a stage for the rituals of their daily life. The home embodies our studio vision – where we collaborate with our clients on both the architecture and the interiors.

Kristen Becker drew from her background in dance inform the design. With choreography in mind, the flow of the main rooms weaves together multiple outdoor spaces which allow for moments of pause between the living spaces. The approach to the home brings visitors down a central exterior stair across a bridge looking down into a secret garden courtyard. Native palms and vegetation surround the interlocking volumes where the public spaces soar over the pool and the private bedrooms are nestled in the hillside.

Designing with the California sun in mind, a series of garden courts lush with native vegetation are subtly carved out between concrete and steel volumes to capture breezes. Covered trellises and overhangs provide shelter from the sun while exterior sliding sunscreens frame views of the sky, mountain, and city beyond. A central west dining terrace with a pivoting steel door links public and private spaces and provides an outdoor dining room with sunset views.

The timeless and natural earth toned palette of the interior furnishings, objects and art add richness and warmth to the home. Care was taken to balance the scale of an heirloom piece of art mounted on the steel and concrete structure. The interiors informed the architecture, and the architecture informed the interior. The rich collaboration between the owners and the design team allowed every element to be thoughtfully curated and considered to result in a seamless experience of place.