Houzz TV: This Home Uses Nature's Bounty in its Architecture
Africa-inspired courtyards, use of sustainable materials and lots of natural light combine in this dynamic L.A. home
Becky Harris
28 April 2017
Houzz Contributor. Hi there! I live in a 1940s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe as "collected."
I got into design via Landscape Architecture, which I studied at the University of Virginia.
Houzz Contributor. Hi there! I live in a 1940s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe... More
Using moves he picked up while living in Africa, architect Steven Ehrlich designed his home to fit the skinny lots and sunny climate of his neighbourhood near Venice Beach. The house is just a few blocks from lively Abbot Kinney Boulevard and the ocean. “It’s so much fun to be part of a walking community in L.A.,” he says. “We can pop out for coffee, shopping or a bite to eat, and all of the activity of the boardwalk and beach is only half a mile away.”
New video: See this “multicultural modern” home in action on Houzz TV
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Steven Ehrlich and his wife, Nancy Griffin
Location: Venice neighbourhood of Los Angeles
Size: Main house of 2,800 square feet (260 square meters); 3 bedrooms, 2½ bathrooms. Guesthouse-garage of 1,200 square feet (111 square meters); one bedroom, two bathrooms
Designer: Steven Ehrlich of Ehrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney Architects
That’s interesting: While teaching in Nigeria, Ehrlich designed a theatre made of mud for the drama department.
In designing a home for one of Venice’s typically long and narrow lots, Ehrlich recalled lessons he’d learned from the local architecture of Nigeria and the courtyard layout of houses in the medinas in Morocco. He calls his approach “multicultural modernism.” The result is a house that takes advantage of the climate and that uses natural systems and technology to boost the home’s efficiency.
The entire site plan responds to every inch of the 132-by-43-foot lot, which contained three beautiful mature trees. Ehrlich made sure to lay out the property to not only save them but also incorporate them into the design, which has three courtyards. The design also responds to the greater community. He stepped the upper floors back from the street out of respect for the many one-story bungalows in the neighbourhood. A large steel exoskeleton stretches past the house’s elevation, uniting indoor and outdoor spaces. On the right, a guesthouse-garage provides an extra bedroom suite, a laundry room and a gallery-like space.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Steven Ehrlich and his wife, Nancy Griffin
Location: Venice neighbourhood of Los Angeles
Size: Main house of 2,800 square feet (260 square meters); 3 bedrooms, 2½ bathrooms. Guesthouse-garage of 1,200 square feet (111 square meters); one bedroom, two bathrooms
Designer: Steven Ehrlich of Ehrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney Architects
That’s interesting: While teaching in Nigeria, Ehrlich designed a theatre made of mud for the drama department.
In designing a home for one of Venice’s typically long and narrow lots, Ehrlich recalled lessons he’d learned from the local architecture of Nigeria and the courtyard layout of houses in the medinas in Morocco. He calls his approach “multicultural modernism.” The result is a house that takes advantage of the climate and that uses natural systems and technology to boost the home’s efficiency.
The entire site plan responds to every inch of the 132-by-43-foot lot, which contained three beautiful mature trees. Ehrlich made sure to lay out the property to not only save them but also incorporate them into the design, which has three courtyards. The design also responds to the greater community. He stepped the upper floors back from the street out of respect for the many one-story bungalows in the neighbourhood. A large steel exoskeleton stretches past the house’s elevation, uniting indoor and outdoor spaces. On the right, a guesthouse-garage provides an extra bedroom suite, a laundry room and a gallery-like space.
The elevation steps up away from the sidewalk (seen here from left to right) so that its height and volumes respect the streetscape. From the left we see the pool, the mezzanine level and its deck, and the master suite and terrace on top.
The home doesn’t have air conditioning; instead its ventilation design makes the most of cross breezes. Pivoting glass doors off the dining area open to one of the home’s courtyards. The large expanse of glass you see on the far end of the house also opens to let the breeze go through.
The home doesn’t have air conditioning; instead its ventilation design makes the most of cross breezes. Pivoting glass doors off the dining area open to one of the home’s courtyards. The large expanse of glass you see on the far end of the house also opens to let the breeze go through.
Ehrlich carried the material palette through the inside, outside and on the walls around the property. He paid extra attention to using sustainable materials. The siding is Trex, which is usually used for decking, and is made up of recycled sawdust and plastic. The steel is corten, whose rusty patina changes over time. Concrete blocks show up inside and out. Concrete floors throughout the first floor provide radiant heat during the colder months and help keep things cool during the summer.
A wall along the property’s perimeter helps create Ehrlich’s somewhat inside-out take on Moroccan homes that open to hidden courtyards. The wall is composed of Trex; concrete blocks matching the ones inside the house; and Lumasite, a translucent combination of fibreglass and acrylic.
To control temperature, light and privacy, Ehrlich used a dynamic system of sunshades mounted across the top and down the long street side of the exoskeleton.
To control temperature, light and privacy, Ehrlich used a dynamic system of sunshades mounted across the top and down the long street side of the exoskeleton.
The motorised shades dramatically change and enliven the facade. Ehrlich fell in love with this vibrant colour combination of burnt sienna and yellow ocher while serving in the Peace Corps in Morocco; the colours were inspired by the wool-dyeing souks in Marrakech. They also work well with the colours of the rusted corten steel.
“The added benefit of this design, because of its scale, is that it also transforms the pool area into a spatially exciting new space,” Ehrlich says. “The fact that the shades can move also means that there are multiple options of not only sun control but of spatial quality.”
“The shades can control the amount of direct sunlight penetrating into the house from the southwest elevation,” Ehrlich says. “When the shades are on the exterior of the house, it is a very effective sun-control method.”
Inside, the first floor has a wide-open plan from one end to the other. Expansive glass doors open to courtyards at both ends, extending to the outdoor living spaces.
“When the house is closed, it can be quite cozy on a cold and rainy night,” Ehrlich says. “When everything is opened up, the house transforms into something more like a pavilion.”
“When the house is closed, it can be quite cozy on a cold and rainy night,” Ehrlich says. “When everything is opened up, the house transforms into something more like a pavilion.”
At one end, the dining area looks out onto a courtyard and the guesthouse-garage beyond. The wall is made of concrete blocks. No paint was used indoors — all the materials are meant to weather naturally.
Wherever he could, Ehrlich wanted to show the hand of the craftsperson. For example, you can see the trowel marks in the ceilings of waxed burnished plaster.
Painting: Ed Moses
Wherever he could, Ehrlich wanted to show the hand of the craftsperson. For example, you can see the trowel marks in the ceilings of waxed burnished plaster.
Painting: Ed Moses
A courtyard connects the dining area to the guesthouse-garage and provides an outdoor room to lounge alfresco. The Canary Island date palm is one of the three mature trees around which Ehrlich designed the house and courtyards.
This is the guest suite above the garage. In the foreground, you get a glimpse of a bentwood Cross Check chair. It was designed by Frank Gehry, another architect who experimented with many of his design ideas on his own home in Venice.
The living room has its own courtyard on the opposite side of the plan from the dining room. The 16-by-16-foot glass expanse completely opens to the courtyard and the view of one of two mature Aleppo pines. Minimal detailing and the continuity of materials blur the lines between indoors and out, whether the doors are closed or open.
Ehrlich designed the sofa and coffee table himself; furniture with strong horizontal lines and planes reinforces the lines of the architecture. The vintage Boomerang chairs are by iconic California modernist Richard Neutra. The house serves as a gallery for the couple’s impressive collection of art and objects from around the world.
Ehrlich designed the sofa and coffee table himself; furniture with strong horizontal lines and planes reinforces the lines of the architecture. The vintage Boomerang chairs are by iconic California modernist Richard Neutra. The house serves as a gallery for the couple’s impressive collection of art and objects from around the world.
This Japanese-inspired tansu-style staircase combines steps and storage, giving the couple additional space to display their favourite things.
The kitchen is tucked under one of the mezzanine level’s bedroom “pods.” It has easy access to the grilling area in the outdoor space.
This staircase terminates at the mezzanine level, which includes two bedroom pods, a bathroom and a street-side terrace just beyond the pool. The pods are flexible spaces that can serve as small offices or guest rooms.
Black-and-white artwork: Guy Dill
Black-and-white artwork: Guy Dill
The mezzanine pods have views to the lower-level rooms, staircase and glass bridge, courtesy interior sliding glass windows.
The mezzanine-level bridge connects to a second staircase up to the master suite. This long landing provides a unique experience of the space between the two floors.
“It’s like you’re floating as you walk across the glass,” Ehrlich says.
“It’s like you’re floating as you walk across the glass,” Ehrlich says.
Large openings to the outdoors ventilate the master suite naturally. The suite also has its own private terrace.
The moving sunshades create different views from the master bathroom. Waterproof plaster reflects light and protects the room from moisture.
The home feels like a living, breathing entity, thanks to the combination of the movable sunshades, the corten steel’s changing patina, the large openings and, the attention paid to sustainable materials and systems. The location in this funky and lively beach community suits the couple’s lifestyle, and entices their grown children and many other family members and friends to visit.
Read more:
Houzz Tour: An Eclectic and Quirky Piece of Heaven in Goa
Houzz Tour: A Delhi Home Rises Up For Three Generations
Tell us:
How have you made your home more eco-friendly? Tell us in Comments below.
Read more:
Houzz Tour: An Eclectic and Quirky Piece of Heaven in Goa
Houzz Tour: A Delhi Home Rises Up For Three Generations
Tell us:
How have you made your home more eco-friendly? Tell us in Comments below.
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We just love this every time we see it!
I was lucky enough to tour this house when I was working for Sunset Magazine. It's stayed as one of my all time favorite spaces. Even more stunning in person.
Wow! What a wonderful house. Not only is the design of the house masterfully thought out, but the interior design is also gorgeous and comfortable. Very personal, just as a house should be.