When architects SPF:a were initially
approached to create a home for this Bel
Air hilltop site, it wasn’t immediately clear
what direction the design would take.
Principal Zoltan E Pali says that given
its prominent position above a relatively
developed neighbourhood, the home
needed to meld into its surrounding,
while at the same time making the most of
sweeping views of the Los Angeles Basin
from the Getty Center to Long Beach.
But it also had to meet some very spe-
cific requirements from the owner.
“She wanted a luxurious house in
which she could put on large events and
host her extended family,” says Pali.
“Yet she also wanted it to feel warm
and welcoming.”
Balancing scale, views and comfort
would prove to be the biggest challenge
in the design of the 1675m 2 home. And to
meet that challenge, SPF:a came up with
an innovative layout.
“To meet all these demands, we needed
the home’s spaces to flow into one another
with ease. Our answer was to organise the
Above: To make the most of unobstructed views
of the Los Angeles basin from the Getty Center
to Long Beach, architect SPF:a designed this
three-storey home with a Y- or propeller-shaped
plan. This also helped break up the mass of the
1675m 2 home, creating a welcoming feel despite
its overall size. Shown here are the ground and
first floor levels, with the basement burrowed into
the hill below. The top floor is dedicated to the
home’s private spaces and is wrapped in a glass
curtain wall comprising panels of varying widths
and opacity.
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