A co-founder of the firm Design, Bitches and her architect husband have completed the latest iteration of their family home in California, which features ample daylight and the "feeling of being in the trees".
The house belongs to architects Rebecca Rudolph, a principal at local studio Design, Bitches, and Colin Thompson, who works at Gensler. The married couple both graduated from SCI-Arc in 2000.
The same year, the couple bought a bungalow in LA's Atwater Village neighbourhood for around $150,000 (£11,711). The 500-square-foot (46-square-metre) house was rundown and sat on a long, slender barren lot.
Since that time, the house has gone through various renovations and additions, as the family has grown – the couple now have two sons – and their needs have evolved.
The current house totals 1,875 square feet (174 square metres) and also has a 275-square-foot (26-square-metre) detached office/pool house.
Much of the construction work has been done by Thompson, who is licensed as an architect and contractor.
在2004年,这座建筑的车库被改造为独立办公室,2006年,建筑进行了扩建。
多年后,当需要更多空间时,这对夫妇考虑在原有结构上增加第二层,但发现原有结构无法承受额外的重量。
In the early years, significant changes included the conversion of a garage into the standalone office in 2004 and the creation of an extension in 2006.
Years later, when the need for more space arose, the couple considered adding a second level to the original structure – but it couldn't support the extra weight.
So the couple decided to replace the original building with a new, two-storey structure.
Rectangular in plan, the new structure was designed to offer a "fluid arrangement of spaces, where the inside and outside zones are given equal importance and are designed with change in mind".
“最终,这座建筑拥有大量的自然采光,并让人感到身处树丛之中。”设计团队表示。
外墙采用蓝绿色调的纤维水泥板包覆。两个圆形窗户为房子增添了生动的元素。
"The result is a house that encourages abundant natural light and a feeling of being in the trees," the team said.
Exterior walls are clad in fibre-cement panels that have a blue-green hue. Two round windows add an exuberant touch to the house.
沿着南北两侧立面,结构墙向内收缩,为长条玻璃窗让出空间。建筑顶部的倾斜采光窗引入了充足的日光。
室内设计精心考量了比例,达到了流动性与私密空间之间的平衡。
Along the southern and northern elevations, the structural walls were pulled back to make way for long stretches of glass. Atop the building, an angled light monitor ushers in daylight.
Inside, one finds a careful consideration of proportions and a balance between fluidity and spaces for retreat.
"It was important that the ceilings be the right height for the rooms, and that the spaces flow into one another while still leaving space for cozy nooks and areas to be alone," the team said.
The layout was informed by existing conditions and the family's experience living on the site.
“设计方案并非一蹴而就,我们进行了分期设计,并且充分应用多年来在该地生活的经验。”
在地面层,新建筑设有厨房和餐厅。2006年扩建的相邻部分包含了客厅和主卧室。
"Because the design evolved in stages, the final layout was the result of the way the design work was phased and what they learned about living on the property over the years," the team said.
At ground level, the new structure holds a kitchen and dining room. The adjoining addition from 2006 contains a living room and primary bedroom.
On the upper level, the new structure allowed for the creation of two bedrooms, one for each of the couple's sons, along with a bathroom. The bedrooms are pided by a non-structural wall that can be removed in the future, enabling the space to be converted into a primary bedroom.
The house also features a planted roof atop the 2006 addition.
“多年来,这对夫妇尝试了多种不同的植物,从本地植物到草类、蔬菜到多肉植物。”设计团队说道。
这栋住宅结合了过去二十年来使用的各种材料,旨在形成一个“和谐的整体”。
"The couple has experimented with a number of different plants over time, from natives to grasses, vegetables to succulents," the team said.
The home has an eclectic mix of materials introduced over the past two decades, all meant to come together into a "coherent whole".
"The materials all share some combination of durability, uniqueness and earthiness or connection to nature," the team said.
Flooring includes black-polished concrete, encaustic cement tile and engineered oak.
The kitchen features IKEA cabinetry, a polished marble backsplash, and an island made of Italian lava stone. The island is faced with concrete panels that were made by Thompson.
A door with a geometric pattern was designed by Rudolph, based on a print by the English artist Ron King.
The landscape has been reworked several times — and a pool was added in 2023. The couple said the house is not yet complete, noting: "The plans continue to evolve to this day."
项目信息:
建筑师和业主:Rebecca Rudolph(Design, Bitches)和Colin Thompson
室内设计:Rebecca Rudolph
景观设计:Rebecca Rudolph(Design, Bitches)和Colin Thompson
结构工程师:Tuschscher Engineering Group
总承包商:Colin Thompson
图片:Yoshihiro Makino and HANA
Project credits:
Architects and owners: Rebecca Rudolph (Design, Bitches) and Colin Thompson
Interior design: Rebecca Rudolph
Landscape design: Rebecca Rudolph (Design, Bitches) and Colin Thompson
Structural engineer: Tuschscher Engineering Group
General contractor: Colin Thompson
The photography is by Yoshihiro Makino and HANA.