Supplies from Asia knowledgeable the co-founders of California studio OWIU Design whereas renovating a home for themselves in Los Angeles initially designed by architect and SCI-Arc co-founder Ray Kappe.
Tucked in a suburban cul-de-sac in La Cañada Flintridge, the Glass Ridge Home was initially designed in 1973 by Ray Kappe, co-founder of California college SCI-Arc, which occurs to be the alma mater of OWIU Design’s Amanda Gunawan and Joel Wong.
The couple felt an instantaneous connection once they found the property, but it surely required a couple of updates to align with their aesthetic and collective experiences.
“The house had been badly uncared for for the previous 30 years, however the panorama and the structure had grown collectively over time in a harmonious manner,” stated the studio. “[We] wished to honor this factor within the total design of the house.”
Each Gunawan and Wong have been raised in Singapore and travelled all through Asia, earlier than learning in California and placing down roots in Los Angeles.
Their time spent on each side of the Pacific has formed their design apply, which blends Jap and Western ideas, and prioritises the connection between structure and panorama.
With this venture, “OWIU sought to marry jap philosophy round pure components with a distinctly Californian panorama and palette” in keeping with the studio.
One of many components introduced in from Asian traditions is the presence of transferring water in and across the house.
A koi pond wraps the entryway, the place stepping stones result in the entrance door, whereas the sunroom was remodeled into an indoor stream.
The beforehand curved swimming pool was reshaped in order that swimmers can see the hills past whereas immersed within the water. This prioritisation of views continues inside.
“From each window of the home, one can overlook water, timber or hills – the prevailing nature is as elemental to the design of the house as every other factor,” the studio stated.
Tea kinds an vital a part of the couple’s day by day ritual, so a devoted tea bar was designed to be tonally and spatially separate from the remainder of the kitchen.
Situated subsequent to the eating room, this factor is topped with textured inexperienced stone and fronted with {custom} ceramic tiles by Japanese artist Hashimoto Tomonari, which function a particular iridescent sheen.
The adjoining kitchen is embellished in gentle tones, and advantages from a tall ceiling and clerestory home windows.
A sunken lounge is lined with tatami mats sourced from Kuboki Tatami, a family-owned specialist primarily based in Fukushima Prefecture since 1740, creating further informal seating on the ground.
The mattress body within the main suite can also be lined with a custom-treated black tatami, including refined texture to the in any other case minimalist area.
A mixture of basic mid-century fashionable furnishings and modern items is used all through the house, all using a tonal palette of black and impartial shades.
Picket sections of the facade on the entrance have been stained black, whereas the big expanse of glass on the again overlooks the view of the valley beneath.
“The reimagining of the area is each a small prayer to the prevailing nature and the legacy of the structure, dressed of their private expertise and the design ideas which have shaped their visible language,” the studio stated.
OWIU Design has labored on tasks for a lot of Asian-American small companies, similar to Baroo and Sua Superette, in addition to a protracted checklist of personal residential shoppers.
Different examples of their work that combine each Jap and Western design ideas embrace a house in Silverlake that additionally they renovated for themselves, a revamped mid-century residence in Mount Washington, and a loft in a former biscuit manufacturing facility – all knowledgeable by Japanese ryokans.
The pictures is by Austin John, except said in any other case.
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