The house, by XTEN Architecture, swoops like a boomerang along the curving street, offering spectacular views of open sky and the distant ocean.
It might seem, at first glance, to be rude for a house to turn away from the street. Perhaps even not very neighborly. But sometimes, the site says, regardless of convention, “This is the way to go.”
Fashioned for shoe designer Cydney Mandel and her husband, Gary, this Pacific Palisades residence by XTEN Architecture is a direct response to the curving hillside street on which it sits. Forming an arc and embedded into the slope of the property, the two-story house would appear standoffish if its façade were windowless right angles, but with large openings punctuating this gentle bend to reveal the greenery beyond, the effect is more measured than monolithic.
While the bulk of the house is strictly orthogonal, that curving outer wall creates a pleasing dynamic within. “In some instances, it pulls away from the building, while in others, it moves in much closer, providing a more intimate connection,” notes XTEN principal, Scott Utterstrom. “At the entry, it pulls away, providing for a generous, crescent-shaped garden. At the living room, it pulls so close that the wall and garden feel as if they are part of the room, and where it is difficult to separate one from the other.”
Outdoor spaces — and views toward them — are central to this home. There is a deck downstairs and a terrace upstairs. The pool is set amid a verdant lawn; the adjacent dining patio is laid under a sun-filtering canopy formed by the leafy branches of eight crepe myrtle trees. “Past the foyer, large glass openings provide city and ocean views,” describes XTEN president, Monika Haefelfinger. “The façade along the garden side of the house features large glass sliders on two levels, providing for a beautiful vista of the garden and the Pacific Ocean.” The glass sliders pocket out of sight to create a seamless flow between interior and exterior.
Natural light pours in everywhere, including from a double-height atrium situated off the entry. “This feature not only connects the two levels visually but also acts as a thermal chimney in the home, as air flow is critical in the Southern California climate,” observes Haefelfinger. Being so open to light and air, the home depends less on electrical lighting or air conditioning than other houses. Rooftop photovoltaic panels, cisterns, and gray water recycling add to its environmental friendliness.
Between its essential transparency and a relatively free-flowing plan, the home possesses an unrestricted but not- at-all-unstructured character. “We wanted the house to feel substantial and protective, while still feeling very light and airy,” relates Utterstrom. “The mass of the concrete walls that make up the primary structure is offset by the large openings that cut into it, an interplay between solid and void. White plaster walls highlight the artwork while reflecting the natural light. Light oak — used to create built-in cabinetry and contain the more private functions of the home — adds warmth. Negro marquina marble and honed black basalt highlight various architectural features throughout the house.”
The tight color palette of the furnishings — black, gray, and white — do much to create a sense of cohesiveness. Niches here and there provide unobtrusive settings to display the couple’s art collection, which ranges from ancient artifacts and 17th-century Italian sculpture to work by Salvador Dali and Kerry James Marshall.
“The clients were looking to build a home where they could gather with their kids and grandkids,” shares Haefelfinger. “A comfortable setting for both family and their art collection, a home with great flow from the interior to the garden.” Mission accomplished.
Photography by Art Gray.
For more like this build from XTEN Architecture, be sure to check out the artful update of this Palo Alto home.
Like what you see? Get it first with a subscription to aspire design and home magazine.