The Abarbanel House in Santa Monica is for a family of artists. The father is a painter and sculptor, the mother director of communications for the UCLAFowlerMuseum, and the twin daughters, 5-year-old at the time of the project, decorate the house with various creative endeavors.
This project had to adhere to a tight budget. The decision was made to restrict construction to one half of the house, leaving living room, bedrooms and the master bath untouched. A plywood wall was constructed, separating the construction site from the truncated house, allowing the family to remain during seven months of work.
A new central tower was inserted into the courtyard of the u-shaped plan, creating a new center for family life, with dining and lounging on the lower floor and a study loft above.
Two-story windows to the north afford a view to the back yard, and bring in gentle light for the display of the husbands paintings. The new space also created a shortcut across the former courtyard, connecting a bedroom that was formerly stranded behind the kitchen better with the house, allowing each of the daughters to have their own bedroom.
With the dining area moving under the loft in the new space, the kitchen doubled in size and could be opened up. Found space under the stair to the loft allowed for TV and book shelves, as well as storage closets.
The new tower does not only afford views across the SunsetPark neighborhood, but is designed to catch ocean breezes, eliminating the need for air-conditioning.
A color scheme of Moss green and Terra Cotta ties the house in with the artist studio at the rear of the yard. Sage green grasses and red foliage continue these colors into the drought tolerant landscaping.
With a new front porch, the house becomes a good neighbor by bringing life back to the street. The family meets here to watch the sun set towards the ocean.
View Original