Tag Archives: California

Home Design, Homes, Sustainability, Tours, Videos, Views

California Architecture: Twin Gables House Tour

Video May 19, 2023 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

The Local Project (May 19, 2023) – Ryan Leidner Architecture thoughtfully renovates a bygone California house into a modern home that is intrinsically connected to its surrounding landscape by incorporating lush greenery into the interior spaces.

Video timeline: 00:00 – Introduction to the California House 00:23 – Renovation of an Eichler Home 00:54 – A Walkthrough of the Home 01:11 – Magical Moments 01:32 – Light Play and Dynanism 01:53 – Feeling Enveloped in the Garden 02:37 – Leaning into the Indoor-Outdoor Connection 03:02 – Working on the Landscape 03:30 – Focusing on A Specific Level of Transparency 04:15 – Rewarding and Proud Moments

Imbued with a tangible sense of transparency, Twin Gable House proposes a more outward, open way of living. Located in Sunnyvale, a suburban neighbourhood 45 minutes south of San Francisco, Twin Gable House sits within a streetscape dominated by single-level, Eichler family homes. The renovation aspired to rejuvenate the midcentury modern-style California house by injecting high design into its somewhat simple, suburban façade.

While most Eichler homes boast flat ceilings, this house benefited from having a twin-gable shape that brings height and openness, undoubtedly setting the tone for the design and direction of the renovation. There is an immediate sense of the outdoors existing within the California house – upon entering through the front door into the atrium space, one is met with an interior garden. Rejecting the idea that homes are a place to be lived inwardly, the outdoor connection continues throughout the home.

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California Tours: Mission San Juan Capistrano (2023)

Video May 18, 2023 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

ERIC MINH SWENSON ART FILMS (May 18, 2023) – Mission San Juan Capistrano, historic landmark and museum, is the Birthplace of Orange County. It was founded more than two hundred years ago as the 7th of 21 missions statewide and features a chapel still standing where Saint Serra once celebrated Mass.

Today, it is a monument to California’s multi-cultural history, embracing its Native American, Spanish, Mexican and European heritage. Originally built as a self sufficient community by Spanish Padres and Native Americans, the Mission was a center for agriculture, industry, education and religion. Famous for the Annual Return of the Swallows, Mission San Juan Capistrano is the “Jewel of the California Missions” and welcomes over 300,000 visitors each year.

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Reviews: Can California Finish Its High-Speed Rail?

Video May 16, 2023 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

CNBC (May 16, 2023) – In 2008, California voted yes on a $9 billion bond authorization to build the nation’s first high-speed railway. The plan is to build an electric train that will connect Los Angeles with the Central Valley and then San Francisco in two hours and forty minutes.

Chapters: 1:35 Intro 1:41 The Vision 4:48 Progress 8:17 Setbacks and challenges

At the time, it was estimated the project would be complete by 2020 and cost $33 billion. But 15 years later, there is not a single mile of track laid, and there isn’t enough money to finish the project. The latest estimates show it will cost $88 billion to $128 billion to complete the entire system from LA to San Francisco. Inflation and higher construction costs have contributed to the high price tag. Despite the funding challenges, progress has been made on the project.

119 miles are under construction in California’s Central Valley. The project recently celebrated its 10,000th worker on the job. The infrastructure design work is complete, and 422 out of 500 miles have been environmentally cleared. CNBC visited California’s Central Valley, where construction is underway, to find out what it will take to complete what would be the nation’s largest infrastructure project.

Home Design, Homes, Sustainability, Tours, Videos, Views

Design: A Tour Of Emeco House In Los Angeles

Video May 12, 2023 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

The Local Project (May 12, 2023) – Demonstrating an inspiring commitment to fully sustainable living and working, Emeco and David Saik Studio transformed Emeco House, a forgotten 1940s sewing shop, into a space that retains, restores and rejuvenates in equal measure.

Video timeline: 00:00 – Introduction to the Fully Sustainable Living and Working Space 00:34 – The Location and its Surrounds 00: 48 – A History of the Designer 01:26 – A Multifunctional Space 01:44 – A Walkthrough of the Space and its History 02:04 – The Original Materials 02:39 – Being Surrounded by Nature 02:55 – The Material Palette 03:36 – The Project Architect 03:59 – The Idea of Permanence 04:11 – Proud Moments 04:33 – Focusing on Leaving A Legacy

Located at the edge of a residential neighbourhood in Venice, Los Angeles, Emeco House is a fully sustainable living and working space for furniture designer Emeco. The house sits in an area where many creatives live and work, therefore serving as a hub for local architects, designers and the community to come together. The initial structure has been reworked to form two separate living areas and one common living area with a kitchen, living room and balcony.

In the creation of a fully sustainable living and working studio, the renovation was grounded in an ethos that underpins Emeco – “Begin with what’s left over. Turn it into what will last.” The design process, therefore, focuses on retaining and restoring as much of the original building as possible, with thoughtful new integrations throughout. In this way, Lead Architect David Saik blurs the old with the new to craft a fitting reflection of the junction of sustainability and evolution, two elements that sit at the core of what Emeco stands for.

Architecture, Home Design, Homes, Tours, Videos, Views

Design: Rustic Canyon House In Los Angeles

Video May 9, 2023 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

The Local Project (May ,9 2023) – Found in a localised part of Los Angeles, Rustic Canyon by Walker Workshop is a magical glass covered home that embraces the Hacienda-styled homes through a contemporary lens.

Video timeline: 00:00 – Introduction to The Magical Glass Covered Home 00:39 – The Brief of a Modern Hacienda Style Home 01:06 – Adapting A Classic Typology 01:42 – The Floor Plan 02:17 – A Careful Study of Light 02:40 – The Heart of the Home 03:04 – Defining Moments of the Kitchen 03:39 – Capturing Iconic Moments Outside 04:00 – A Minimalistic Palette 04:29 – Proud Moments 04:47 – Designing from Perspective

Offering new experiences, the residence’s location is defined by one of the few naturally flowing creeks in Los Angeles, Rustic Creek. Due to this, and the home’s proximity to the Pacific Ocean, Rustic Canyon creates its own microclimate, allowing for lush vegetation and several different species of trees to grow. Building for a young family, Noah Walker of Walker Workshop was given freedom to design a magical glass covered home that would fit the family’s modern needs.

Honouring the client’s desire for a Hacienda-style home, a more traditional Spanish house from about 100 years ago, the magical glass covered home has been adapted to suit the needs and technologies of the modern age whilst also separating itself from the typology of the area. Laid out in four wings, the home has been divided into a primary suite wing, a children’s wing, guest wing with attached theatre room and a fourth wing reserved for services and the garage.

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Tours: Hearst Castle In San Simeon, California

Video May 8, 2023 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

ERIC MINH SWENSON ART FILMS (May 8, 2023) – Hearst Castle, known formally as La Cuesta Encantada, is a historic estate in San Simeon, located on the Central Coast of California. Conceived by William Randolph Hearst, the publishing tycoon, and his architect Julia Morgan, the castle was built between 1919 and 1947.

Architecture, Art, Home Design, Homes, Tours, Videos, Views

Design Tour: Forest House In Truckee, California

Video May 2, 2023 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

The Local Project – (May 2, 2023) – Tucked into an alpine environment, Forest House by Faulkner Architects is a cabin in the woods surrounded by thick pine trees, Fir trees and basalt rock.

Video timeline: 00:00 – Introduction to the Cabin in the Woods 00:22 – The Site and Surrounding Landscape 00:38 – Saving the Landscape Around the Home 00:55 – The Clients and the Initial Brief 01:44 – A Concealed Entry 02:00 – A Walkthrough of the Home 02:38 – An Experience Space 02:58 – Working with the Sun 03:25 – A Focus on Sustainability 03:49 – The Materials Used 04:09 – A Reflection of the Surrounding Landscape 04:35 – The Most Exciting Space and its Successes

Desiring to save and protect the landscape, the architects saved 95 per cent of the trees on the property by leaving the front land largely untouched. As the clients delivered a simple brief with an open mindset, the architects were able to create a cabin in the woods that respected its surrounds and did not fall to the arbitrary aesthetics of larger homes in the area. Due to its nature-rich location, the home remains neutral and respective by allowing the landscape to breathe and embrace its structure.

As the house tour moves inside, the front of the home opens into the living, dining and kitchen areas. Tucked behind the kitchen is a small family room, while an addition of a hidden office allows for further separation of spaces where the clients can find a place to work, study and rest. Additionally, the master suite has been left on the main level, while the three ensuite guest rooms are positioned upstairs for increased separation of private and public spaces. Described as a cabin in the woods that is an atmospheric exercise in form and light, the architects began the process of designing Forest House by looking to the sun.

Architecture, Art, Home Design, Homes, Tours, Videos, Views

Architecture: An Insider Tour Of Sheats-Goldstein Residence In Los Angeles

Video April 25, 2023 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

The Local Project – (April 25, 2023) – Overlooking the city of Los Angeles, Sheats-Goldstein Residence by John Lautner and James Goldstein is an iconic and action packed home that ignites the idea that a residence is an expression of its owner.

Video timeline: 00:00 – Inside the Iconic and Action Packed Home 00:49 – A Reflection of Mentality and Personality 01:16 – A 1972 Purchase of Amazing Design and Views 02:14 – The First Step in the 45-year long Renovation Process 03:14 – No Separation between Inside and Outside 03:42 – John Lautner’s Dislike of Box-like Forms 04:09 – A Focus on the Natural Elements 04:43 – The Addition of Tropical Vegetation 05:30 – A James Turrell Skyspace 06:05 – The Continuation of John Lautner’s Legacy 06:45 – Two Rebels Working in Cohesion 07:21 – Preserving History and Hard Work

Built and designed to reflect James’s life and experiences, the house asserts a dominance over the landscape with its frameless glass walls, hidden wonders and angled corners and turns. After buying the residence in 1972, James sought the help of John Lautner to re-model the home after observing the previous owner’s undesirable changes to the original design. Part of James’s wish was to return the structure’s lost character through dramatic improvements.

After John’s passing and having resided in the home for 45 years, James has continuously worked on adding to character of the iconic and action packed home, with respect to John’s original vision. Opposed to building anything that resembled a box or came to a 90-degree angle, John Lautner designed the home with angular walls, built-in furniture and open plan floor spaces. Wanting the residence to feel natural, the use of concrete floors is used to help imbue the feeling of openness, while carpets used within the home are designed to look like small stones and deepen the natural impression.

Additionally, the frameless glass wall that occupies the living room continues to unite the indoor and outdoor spaces and enables views of the tropical foliage and vegetation that surround the building. Spanning across over 1.5 hectares of hillside, the home’s landscape is saturated with thick foliage and vegetation that holds hidden walkways, ponds and open grassy areas. Additionally, the unique character of the iconic and action packed home is further emphasised with the James Turrel skyscraper. Tucked into the lower hillside of the home, the building acts as a form of art, allowing for one to sit back and delve into the appreciation of light and shadow.

Architecture, Home Design, Homes, Tours, Videos, Views

Architecture: ‘Round House’ In San Francisco

Video April 14, 2023 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

The Local Project – (April 14, 2023) – Working within the existing footprint of a round home, Feldman Architecture reimagines a disjointed circular structure into an innovative futuristic house. By connecting the residence to its lush surroundings and opening up spaces, the possibilities of an ocular form are realised.

Video timeline: 00:00 – Introduction to the Innovative Futuristic House 00:23 – The Original Home and the Vision 01:07 – A Walkthrough of the Home 01:36 – Blurring the Lines between Inside and Outside 01:58 – The Original Story of the Home 02:21 – Functioning like a Sun Dial 02:42 – Curves All Around 03:00 – Creating the Curves with a Compass 03:31 – The Materials and the Shape 04:29 – A Unique Experience for the Client and the Architects

Nestled within the picturesque San Francisco hills, Feldman Architecture renovates an introverted round structure into an innovative futuristic house that thrives in its distinctive shape, location and views. Integral to the building’s remodelling is reworking the internal spaces to make them more functional and connected to the outdoors. The edge of the house wings out towards views of the landscape and it is also anchored to the land on the west side.

To make the most of its unique position, the garage was expanded to act as a base for the house and the stairwell was moved so that it takes you directly to the upper level. Upon entering, you see a framed view of the kitchen and then immediately turn into the open plan living. Here, there is a living and dining with tall ceilings, which open out to cascading views. Suddenly, there is a blurring of the indoors and outdoors, typical of Californian architecture. The rooms within the home follow an organic theme reminiscent of the structure’s circular shape.

The rigid flow of the old house has been transformed – the innovative futuristic house welcomes a nice sense of symmetry in the redesign of the kitchen and skylight as an oculus hub in the centre of the home. This skylight functions like a sundial and moves about at different points in time, reflecting a constant interplay with light. A thoughtful selection of materials are chosen to soften the powerful geometry of the home. In terms of finishes and materiality, the residence is very minimalist.

Architecture, Home Design, Homes, Reviews, Views

Architecture & Nature: 2022 Remodel Of The Year

December 23, 2022 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

Suspended between two beautiful California hills, this remodel spans a creek and boasts a waterfall in the back yard.

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To build such a house anew is no longer allowed in California, but following strict guidelines, we reconceived an existing structure, transforming the relationships between home, water and land. A steel frame inserted beneath the original floors anchors the home to the rocky hillsides, thus allowing us to remove supporting columns from within the creek bed.

A human-made object in nature may exist in harmony or disparity. Our goal was to deepen this home’s connection to the environment, creating a place where our clients can live immersed within an exceptional landscape. Taking care to protect and restore the land, we suspended the renovated house between two wooded hills, where it overlooks a rushing waterfall and spans the creek below.

A third floor addition strikes a more slender profile facing east, to engage the breadth of the site. The experience is one of being in nature and also humbled by it.

The goal with this unique site was to enhance the relationship of the structure to the nearby bodies of water and the rock face. Rather than bearing down and disturbing the creek below, the new structural system has been anchored to the bedrock within the flanks of the hill, suspending the home