This residence is a remodel addition to an existing 4,402 s.f. house that was originally constructed in a contemporary Santa Fe Style with purple and yellow stucco. The clients came to us wanting to add a clean modern glass box for the second floor master bedroom, better connection to the outdoors, and blur the line between formal and informal spaces.
We proposed to create series of view spaces borrowing from the Japanese concept of Tokonoma or an area where items for artistic appreciation are displayed.. A series of view spaces to anchor each major room were created. Rather than simply opening up the rooms to the exterior, we achieved this by framing the flowering tree in the neighbor’s yard in an alcove, by setting green foreground on a roof deck to the city view, or framing the sky in the dining room.
In the master suite, we wanted to create an oasis where the Clients can escape their day to day life. Upon entrance, you are greeted by an internal courtyard displaying a green wall with a stainless steel sculpture framed by glass and open to the sky. This Tsuboniwa (petit garden) is flanked by the wet room (shower and bath area) and the master bedroom. It also doubles as an outdoor shower area. The glass door between the wet room and Tsuboniwa recesses into the wall, thus enlarging the space. The planting around this second floor suite also gives a sense of grounding and foreground to the view beyond.