Description

Minimalist, yet warm. Spacious, yet cozy. For inspiration at Forest Knoll, Standard Architecture looked to a traditional form that defines American vernacular design: the barn. For the architects, the project became about doing the most with the least, using simple elements like timeless wood, concrete, and stone finishes. The restrained palette of form and material brings together the distinctive elements of both the architecture and the landscape, creating an elevated experience of the quintessential Southern California lifestyle.Inspired by Louis Kahn's Kimbell Art Museum, the home takes the shape of three parallel gabled volumes with stairs between them. Each of these volumes encloses different essential spaces and opens to an outdoor patio sited on a spectacular promontory overlooking the city, reinforcing the harmony of home and nature. Conceived by the architects as a vast great room, the double-height middle volume features an expansive living and dining space. The pitch of its ceiling guides the eye toward the rear wall where exquisite glazing reveals breathtaking vistas.At the opposite end of this volume, two mature olive trees flank the travertine pathway that leads to the solid oak front door, marking the main entryway and inviting visitors to slow their pace and consider their surroundings. Drawing inspiration from European streets, the architects created a cobblestone motor court that adds to the cinematic experience of arrival and allows for a visual connection with the city below as one drives up.The adjacent volumes are divided into two stories. White oak-accented bedrooms and marble-clad bathrooms on the upper story embody tranquil privacy, while the lower-story living areas flow seamlessly to the idyllic backyard. The upstairs main bedrooms command stunning city views and in the master bathroom, the architects created a special Calacatta marble-lined "pop-out" for the freestanding tub, with a large picture window framing the panoramic skyline.Continuing this indoor-outdoor connection, the architects used light, almost golden wood on the inner walls of the middle volume, along with travertine floors that extend from inside to outside. A subtle nod to the vernacular barn, the white oak paneling guides the eye toward the view, which gives the home a sense of soothing nature. Two oversize board-formed concrete fireplaces contrast with the lightness of the wood and provide additional focal points in the living spaces.It's all brought together by timeless travertine paving and simple landscaping that culminates in an infinity pool, accentuating the feeling of being suspended in the sky, high above Los Angeles, yet still in the comfort of home.Co-Listed with Tyrone McKillen DRE# 01915539.