Eichler’s mid-century modern stylings are abundant in Northern and Southern California and Wavelet House is a reconsideration of the area’s architectural precedent.
Set on a narrow lot with side-yard setbacks, the evocative mid-century façade belies an unexpected rear that is more modern. The metal and wood slats of the entrance are quiet aesthetically and offer additional privacy to the residents. The material asymmetry in the front courtyard is a nod to playfulness of the back of the home.
The rear of the home, which is encased in a curtain-wall façade that is nearly three stories at its apex, adds a lightness against the angularity of the metal roof overhang. Part of the inspiration for this unique structure emerged from the constraints of the local planning department, which prefers stepped-in roofs that resemble a wedding cake.
The roof was conceived as a kind of umbrella and the undulating lines and hard angles of the structure are a play on the traditional pitched roof. Rather than creating a peak as a singular axis on the house, the metal planes rise and fall, drawing the eye along the entire silhouette of the home.
From the entryway to the library, the overhang folds over, its aluminum fins cascading along the exterior of the house. This roof is purposefully sculptural, deliberately abstract, with no light fixtures. Inside, the dramatic structure is visible throughout the second and third floors and in the primary bedroom, the ceiling is awash in the white planes.
The 16’ perforated overhang provides much needed shade on the patio and primary bedroom without weighing down the sightline. All the exterior glass doors are retractable. This flexibility—along with the provided shade and the solar orientation of the home—maximizes airflow and cross-ventilation, dramatically decreasing the need for artificial climate control.
The house is encased by three below-grade courtyards which interweave, maximizing natural light, and outdoor space and anchoring the house on its site. The music room, guest bedroom and office each have access to their own courtyard. Despite the openness of the home, the courtyards help enclose space and deliberately create pockets of privacy.
Inside, a two-story library serves as the heart of the house, with other rooms branching off on all floors. The room is encased in glass, with custom shelving made of cedar and steel, that is meant to echo the slats of the exterior. These shelves also serve as semi-transparent delineators of the space, guiding the eye from room to
room. The library is the locus of the home.
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