Project: Mar Vista House
Architects: Woods + Dangaran
Location: Mar Vista, California
Area: 6,100 SF
Photo Credits: Joe Fletcher
Text by Woods + Dangaran
Set at the crest of a downsloped lot, the floor plan of this 6,000-square-foot house was largely determined by the site. The entry and the master suite are placed to capture the premium views, and the in-ground tiled swimming pool locks into the L-shape footprint. From the street, the crisply orthogonal house offers some compelling contrasts.
The elevation is grounded by a plastered privacy wall, while the home’s second floor floats beyond it. Slim cedar louvers break the otherwise solid, symmetrical façade, allowing a screened view through the upper level; their lightness and verticality balance the horizontal massing. The entry is intentionally sequenced; visitors pass through a louvered gate and arrive in an intimate courtyard landscaped with a single gingko tree, creating a serene moment before stepping inside. On the main level, metal, polished concrete, and glass establish a modern palette.
The great room epitomizes Southern California indoor-outdoor living. Expansive glass pocket doors open fully, revealing a garden barbeque and dining table to the west, and creating a seamless transition to the pool deck and outdoor lounge area to the east. Winding up to the second level, the sculptural stair combines massive floating timber treads with an airy balustrade.
Louvers cast linear shadows into glass-enclosed corridors; skylights set flush with the flat roof help balance the natural light throughout. Befitting the personal spaces on this floor, the finish materials are warmer than the shared spaces on the ground floor. Honey-toned wood panels the headwall in the master bedroom, marble swirled with mocha-colored veining sheathes the shower, and plaster adds subtle tactility. The interior design of Mar Vista House closely coordinates with the building design.
Custom furnishings maximize the function of the spaces while their curving, organic forms soften the architecture, and richly textured fabrics and floorcoverings counter the hard materials.
