The Windsor Residence

Los Angeles, CA, United States

Add To Collection

Other Projects by AUX Architecture

Add To Collection

AUX Studio & the art room Café & Gallery

Add To Collection

Glorya Kaufman Performing Arts Center

The Windsor Residence

Los Angeles, CA, United States

Firm

AUX Architecture

Type

Residential › Private House

STATUS

Built

YEAR

2023

SIZE

1000 sqft - 3000 sqft

BUDGET

Undisclosed

Located atop a steeply ascending site, the home is sited to capture breathtaking views of the San Gabriel Mountains, the Silverlake Reservoir, DTLA, and the city beyond. The design’s biggest achievement is integrating an existing retaining wall left from a home that burned down decades ago. Integrating the wall into the project design enabled the team to overcome extreme topography, bad bearing soil, and a limited budget.

Comprising two distinct masses, a double-height living area is delicately balanced on the existing retaining wall with a single-story bedroom wing interlocked, creating an L-shaped section. The bedrooms then span from the living area over natural fill into conventional footings in bedrock on the upper terrace of the property. This bridge design was about efficiency and also enabled the team to create a private covered outdoor living area that provides contrast to the broad vistas and exposure of the upper yard area.

The home is accessed by an exterior stairway that meanders up the hill from the street, with balustrades that rise and fall in a playful contrast to the concrete and stucco used throughout the project. Just as the building masses and stairs interlock formally, the interior design is woven together with white walls and an oak "liner" that wraps walls, ceilings, and stairs; it defines interior spaces and leads one through the home.