Combining European Minimalism and West Coast Culture, this modern home pays homage to the city's architectural legacy while redefining the contemporary single-family home. The design reflects the German roots of the architect homeowner and his wife, a west coast native. Aiming to create an urban refuge for their family, they envisioned a fluid and open choreography of indoor and outdoor space behind a more solid and private street front. The result reflects their strong individual sensibilities and backgrounds, along with intent often conceptually at odds. The house is both an oasis for family, and a space for entertainment. Full of daylight, open, and transparent, it offers private spaces, separate wings, and multiple access points. It is a home at once both intimate and voluminous.
Nestled in the neighborhood of Brentwood, Moreno seamlessly integrates into a landscape rich with diverse architectural styles. Drawing inspiration from the city's low-slung bungalows and international style homes, the home stands as a testament to the marriage of Southern California's climate, a stripped-down aesthetic, and an emphasis on materiality and craft. The home maintains street privacy while inviting the landscape to flow into the structure. Movable glass walls blur the boundaries between indoor and outdoor areas to create a unique living experience. When the glass walls are open, the interior seamlessly merges with the surrounding landscape. Surrounding the home thoughtfully selected landscaping creates a living painting as integral to the interior as the exterior experience.
Moreno is designed with a strong commitment to sustainability. The design maximizes daylight and views, while minimizing solar heat gain by reducing openings and embedded natural shading. The morning sun reflects on the eastern facade of the courtyard into the dining area, while the afternoon sun shades the western facade. Instead of air conditioning, a VRF system splits the house into 11 zones for targeted heating and cooling. Extra insulation was added to the walls, and a cool roof was chosen. Draught tolerant flora was meticulously selected for year-round and seasonal qualities. The hardscape was reduced to a minimum with outdoor surface areas covered in gravel or artificial turf. The project features three EV chargers. Solar panels are awaiting approval, permitting and installation.
Anchored around a continuous corridor, the home is defined by interlocking volumetric forms. Two primary volumes are linked by a narrower connector housing the dining room on the ground floor, and the upstairs hallway. Solid volumes, such as the guestroom, garage, office, pantry, playroom, and living room fireplace, are strategically placed around the house's perimeter. In contrast, movable floor-to-ceiling glass walls enclose the remaining areas, framing adjacent courtyards, and enhancing natural light penetration and cross ventilation. Light penetrates every part of the house, changing throughout the day and painting rooms in dappled light and shadow. More than visual focal points the courtyards are essential to the living experience, extending indoor spaces for outdoor dining, relaxation, and entertainment. Oriented to maximize the property's potential, the ground floor is divided into two distinct wings. The east wing contains private and functional spaces, while the west wing features open, public areas. A fusion of subtle materials, bespoke furnishings, and state-of-the-art technology creates an ambiance that is both timeless and avant-garde. The exterior serves as a multi-functional skin, with roofing, perforated screens, cladding, and shading integrated within the structure. Stucco, vertical western red cedar siding, and custom profiled and corrugated metal panel siding (using Japanese metal printing technology), adorn the exterior.
“I was really fascinated to create these different layers of experiences that would blend into each other.” Christian Robert , Architect and homeowner. “I wanted to pull and stretch the house apart to form zen-like garden courtyards, almost switching the landscape and architecture within the house.” “I wanted a space full of light, and in the afternoon when the sun hits the trellis, the light and shadow that seeps through from the courtyards is almost a painting.” Lauren Noelker, Homeowner
OFFICEUNTITLED is a young, energetic architecture and design firm focused on creative solutions across multiple scales and typologies, including commercial, hospitality, residential, and mixed-use. Established in 2017 as (OU) OFFICEUNTITLED, the practice leverages the award-winning design and project leadership of its four principals and a broad portfolio of experience in transformative architecture and interiors projects. OFFICEUNTITLED sees the value in every project as an opportunity for transformation and impact. The firm is currently designing more than 5.5 million square feet of property, including The Cayton Children’s Museum in Santa Monica, offices for BCG-Digital Ventures in London, The AVA Arts District in Los Angeles, and a masterplan for Summit Powder Mountain in Utah.