EDITOR ' S CHOICE
VENICE BEACH CONTEMPORARY CRAFTSMAN
ARCHITECT : CONNER + PERRY ARCHITECTS
The Venice Beach Contemporary Craftsman , or VBCC House , started as a renovation project for a growing family ' s small bungalow-style home . The design goal was to create an open , connected space that would flow from front to back , making it perfect for entertaining and taking advantage of the cool Pacific breeze . Glass sliders on either end of the house allow for the wood flooring and ceiling to seem to extend into the decks and surrounding landscape .
As you approach the house from the street , you ' re led along a wall of charred wood and an exposed cantilevered glulam beam , up concrete steps to the unique entry door , which features a built-in filtration planter that extends into the house through the large side lite of glass . A second floor was added that includes three bedrooms , accessed via a central open stairwell filled with light from large northwest-facing windows and three skylights . The highest skylight is designed to be opened , allowing natural ventilation to circulate air throughout the house .
The main bedroom has a private balcony with views of the Santa Monica Mountains and a wood railing that extends into the room and becomes an architectural built-in headboard and wainscoting . Clerestory windows in the main suite allow the wood vaulted ceiling to extend out to the eaves , creating a sense of the roof floating above the structure . The main bathroom has a low wall with a frameless glass transom that unifies the suite while maintaining privacy and keeping the view of the corner window , which provides natural light for the tub .
The VBCC House was designed with special attention to fenestration and orientation , ensuring that natural lighting , ventilation , and privacy were balanced throughout the structure . This , along with the use of natural materials and a visual connection to the landscape , creates a calming oasis within the vibrant atmosphere of Venice Beach .
Photography by Elizabeth Daniel
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