Summitridge: an artist couple looks towards Catalina Island in the distance

The Summitridge project is designed for an internationally-recognized artist couple to accommodate their residence and studio. Nestled in the hills overlooking Los Angeles, it unfolds sweeping views from Downtown to the Pacific Ocean with Catalina Island in the distance.  The terracing of the form is the result of zoning regulations restricting height and area, as well as the program’s internal organization customizing the spaces in concert of the artist's lifestyle.  The arrival dips below the street to the main level to an open carport, living area, dining, and pool deck. A sculptural stair intersects the terrace, separates the carport from the pool and leads to the level below where the studio and the guest quarters are set. The master bedroom, library and kid's bedroom are situated on the secluded top level. In the center of the composition is the swimming pool, provoking discussion about the meaning of water in the dry climate and acting as a passive cooling system, a dwelling amenity, and a meme of California living. The water recirculates through the pool edge facing the exterior stair and is visible on arrival. The pool terrace level is the public zone of the home mediating the more private areas of the owner's suite above, and studio and guests rooms below.   The majority of the building is carved into the hill using the earth as a geothermal device. The shade of the cantilever canopies, the heat sink of the pool water mass, the radiant heating and cooling, and the natural cross ventilation provide a comfortable eco-environment. The landscape preserves the natural plants of the site alleviating the need for irrigation. Clean lines, generous glazing and simple materials - concrete, steel and glass - evoke the eponymous Californian Modernism. Beyond resolving building height zoning constraints, the diagonal roof ridge also brings a contemporary twist to the form and plays with the name of the project and its location.