An elegant and marvelous house in Balance Hill

The building relation to the site and views is the main feature of Balance Hill. Situated on a dramatic hillside terrace, high above the LA basin, the house's architecture expresses anchoring, bridging, and progressive transparency as it emerges from the hill and reaches out to claim stunning scenery.
Moving from west to east, the house's envelope becomes progressively lighter, until it culminates in a dramatic pavilion perched above the gardens - an "homage" to mid-century California architecture that strove to find new ways to celebrate our climate and landscape.

Stone planes and volumes are used to hold back the hillside and contain the home's more private functions and services. Together they create the anchor points of the building that fix its presence on the hillside and communicate, foundation, substance and longevity.

Glass, plaster and wood components rest within or on top of the stone pieces to provide bridges and connectors to points within the house and through the site. These lighter elements animate the building's mass, allow for a blend of indoor/outdoor living and create a finer sense of scale.