Project: Drexel Residence
Architects: Minarc
General Contractor: Core Construction
Structural, Civil, and MEP Engineer: C.W. Howe Partners
Landscape Design: Terry Design
Location: Los Angeles, California
Tucked away in the quite little neighborhood of Beverly Grove (so named for its fitting location between the Beverly Center and the Grove) is the newest home by the award-winning Santa Monica design team of Minarc.
• Beyond the clean façade of maple, walnut and concrete lies 3,000 sq ft of boundary dissolving living space that can only be described as transcendental.
• Utilizing the cutting-edge fabrication methods of the mnmMOD panels, the Drexel Residence might well be dubbed an homage to the minimalist aesthetic and Southern California vibe of the Light and Space movement of the 1960s.
• Floor to ceiling windows usher in the sun’s natural light in a manner reminiscent of a Robert Irwin installation, shaping and redefining the interior as the ephemeral day reveals another new pattern of light and shadow across the open space. Conversely, breezeways and windowed courtyards suspend our sense of containment and demarcation, uniting interior and exterior worlds.
• Polished concrete floors throughout the main floor further unify and connect spaces, creating one massive great room.
• The deep brown coloration of the walnut cabinetry and striking island countertop, punctuated by detailed splashes of this versatile wood, radiate a warm glow across the open living space.
• Sliding walls of glass lead from the kitchen to a breezeway that serves as the alfresco dining room, extending the home’s footprint to the outdoors and blurring the distinction between inside and out.
• Planks of rich walnut carpet the dining room, and then extend across the yard to form a poolside deck for relaxing or entertaining guests.
• Suspended in midair a staircase of pleated raw steel ascends to the second floor, tracing the Tree of Life visible through the transparent glass wall of the adjacent courtyard.
• Atop the stairs a set of two spacious master bedroom suites, each paired with private bathrooms, offer peaceful solitude and unobstructed views of the Hollywood Hills and twilight sunsets of the vast western skies.
• An abundance of custom closets, subtly adorned with walnut trim, provide ample storage keeping living spaces open, free from clutter, and devoid of needless distractions.
• The Buddha meditation room complete with sauna, poolside-gathering spot with plenty of seating around a fire pit, and spacious elevated private deck off the master bedroom complete this spiritual retreat-like residence; where light and space seem to change in appearance as one moves throughout the dwelling and each passing moment of daylight reshapes our experience of seeing ourselves see.
