atelier V completes design of new Palisades residence
SUSTAINABILITY IN PACIFIC PALISADES
atelier V : architecture (www.atelierv.com) has completed the design of a new 9,550 sf residence in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles. The proposed residence sits atop an approximately 32,000 sf hillside property. The new residence will replace an existing home on the site which was remodeled as late as 2001 and originally built in the 1950′s. “The proposed plan’s Party is a simple geometry resulting directly from the constraints that the site presented us” Says Mark Vaghei, AIA , atelier V’s Design Principal. The new residence will have two distinct wings connected via a very translucent and lightly structured bridge. The main wing of the house running along a north-south axis will be a three story above basement simple rectangular box housing the garage, kitchen , dining and the living room on the ground level, the library and the master bath and entry to the master bedroom on the second level and 5 bedrooms on the third level. The basement level will house a media room as well as a wine cellar and other utility functions. The second wing of the house which runs east-west will be a two story high trapezoid which will house the family room on the ground level and the master bedroom on the second level. The master bedroom connects via the bridge to the master bath and the library. “The project was conceived as a sustainable project from the very beginning affecting its basic layout on the site, with maximum exposure to available south and south-east directions taking advantage of both passive solar heat gain and the canyon views” say Mark Vaghei, AIA. Additionally, the project will maximize the use of recycled materials and will include active solar panels for heating and air-conditioning as well as pool heating.
The basic approach to use of materials in the house was driven by sustainability and use of natural materials as much as possible. Steel, glass, zinc, teak wood, and rains-screen concrete panels are used throughout the house in various capacities. This careful use of materials enhances the organic nature of the structure making it unite with its surrounding context while becoming a clear statement of intent on the landscape.
One story volumes are created as Compression Zones and as preludes to souring two story volumes in the living room and other areas. Public and private zones are completely separated horizontally and the private zones are further separated vertically to allow for complete privacy and maximum exposure to the available views. The pool becomes a Water object protruding out of the ground as a Positive form and separating the family room veranda tactically from the manicured lawn on either side.
It’s worth noting that this entire house has been designed on a 4 foot planning grid and an 8′x24′ structural grid with 6″-8″ structural steel pipe columns, steel beams and TJI wood joists. The entire skin of the building is separated from the main structure allowing the skin to be as transparent as possible with shear walls located at book-ends. This efficient structural system has contributed to cost efficiencies otherwise not possible while allowing for a maximum open and flexible modern plan. The entire south and west and north sides of the rectangular 3 story element will be cladded by an open joint rain-screen type thin concrete panel system allowing the building to breath while releasing all the moisture away from the structure. The cost of this residence is projected to be in the neighborhood of $280-300 /sf.
atelier V is proud to have participated in design of this unique residence and we look forward to its construction and final occupancy.
For more information and additional photos of this and other atelier V projects, please go to : www.atelierv.com /projects/residential/new Marinette residence.
Credits:
Alistair Turner, Vanessa Ablegas Project Team