Architecture Wednesday: My Sunset Blvd.

I’ve got a secret … I’ve always wanted to be Norma Desmond, living in a ramshackle mansion on Sunset Blvd. But, since ramshackle is hard to find, and Sunset Blvd is a little less residential, I’ll take this opulent modern home that sits above Sunset Blvd, in LA.

And there are some tricks to the house; while it sits on a generous 28,033-square-foot property, the challenge to the architects as how to make this sprawling 14,000 square foot, three-story home fit into a single story community. That was achieved by dropping the main level eight feet to allow for the increase in floor area and keep the entire house within the neighnorhood’s required sixteen-foot height.

The entry features a basalt rotunda, separating the house from the street where a two-story water wall spills into a water garden, while an infinity edge swimming pool in the back offers the most spectacular skyline views. The form of the swimming pool is generated by the contours of the property and the maximum height allowed above grade. 

The entire house was pushed to extremes. The upper level was rotated ninety degrees to decrease visibility from the street, while enabling the creation of a rooftop deck on the otherwise green roof. The master bedroom was designed to cantilever over the garden, forming a covered patio space below. “The concept for living spaces is a glass pavilion with minimal walls, allowing a direct visual connection between the entry water garden and the pool beyond.

A basement garage area plays host to a car display space, a bar, a golf simulation room, and a cigar patio; it also houses a media room, lounge, gym, staff quarters, a second indoor kitchen, a wellness area with a float tank and hydro-tub.

Now all I need is a turban, a manservant named Max—will MaxGoldberg do—and a Joe Gillis … maybe a Jose Gillis?

I’m ready for my close-up …

OneKindDesign