XOXO

Originally built in the mid 19th century to house ancient art and Egyptian artifacts, the neglected structure was renovated in the 21st century by British firm David Chipperfield Architects, partnered with Julian Harrap Architects. The resulting building is a careful juxtaposition of existing Neoclassical design elements and a contemporary aesthetic characterized by clean surfaces and modern materials.

The restoration of the structure took over a decade, opening in 2009 for the first time since suffering severe damage during World War II. Any materials that could be salvaged- columns, walls, mosaics- were included in the restoration, resulting in a beautiful combination of past and present, reconstructed in a way that honors the past while integrating elements that reflect the original intentions. The careful preservation of the existing building and the deliberate, honest approach to material, both old and new, allow for a seamless transition and the revival of a truly great building.

From the NY Times review (who is also credited for these images), "It is a modern building that inhabits the ghost of an old one".

And one inspires artists to create visual poetry in so many forms and mediums, including dance...

Also known as the Kings Road House, this project represents a critical moment in the history of modern architecture in Southern California. Rudolph Schindler, an Austrian who spent several years working with Frank Lloyd Wright, moved west to oversee the construction of the Hollyhock House and embraced California's landscape upon his arrival. He began work on the Kings Road House in the early 20's.

The home was originally designed for four people- Schindler, along with an engineer who shared Schindler's innovative spirit, and their wives. In both design intent and use, as well as construction technology, the Schindler House represents an architecture intrinsically tied to site, climate and the environment.

In the floor plan, Schindler sought to create spaces that enabled a seamless transition between inside and out, while taking advantage the mild climate of Southern California to create outdoor 'rooms'.

Utilizing wood and concrete as primary materials to define spaces, Schindler employed a relatively new method of construction at the time: tilt-up concrete slabs that created a modular rhythm at the interior and exterior and tall narrow windows that appear throughout the spaces.

This rhythm appears in the application of other materials as well, including the wood framed windows and canvas panels that create divisions throughout the space at both the interior and the exterior. Another unique feature of Schindler's design was the inclusion of open-air sleeping lofts at the upper levels; the main floor was segmented into sections designated for each inhabitant, each with its own close relationship with the surrounding environment, created through the inclusion of carefully located patios and outdoor spaces.

The view from the sleeping loft gives visitors a sense of the order and spatial progressions that Schindler created throughout the site.

This courtyard concept is ubiquitous throughout Southern California today, but in the early 20th century, Schindler was a pioneer in this avant-garde approach to living within the landscape. Perhaps the most well-known and significant work of his life, the Kings Road House is a manifestation of that desire to innovate, while creating a new type of relationship with natural surroundings. 

Also, for those interested, an isometric drawing gives a good sense of the overall massing and spatial adjacencies.

via

Currently, the building is home to the MAK Center for Art and Architecture in L.A., with changing exhibits on view inside. Last month, it was participating in the regional art event, Pacific Standard Time, with the exhibit, Sympathetic Seeing: Esther McCoy and the Heart of American Modernist Architecture and Design.

For more on the house and information on visiting, visit the MAK Center's website, and thanks for stopping by!

From the perspective of an individual (+lauren moss) and page administrator (+Architect | MYD), G+ is a great source of new information, where users are often highly active. In particular, the communities of artists, photographers and designers are very engaged, sharing projects, work and ideas that aren't the repackaged and repurposed posts that one tends to see on the more prominent websites and design blogs. In fact, many of those sites aren't active on G+, which allows for individuals and small sites to gain a following, and that following is based on the value of the content itself and the level of interaction of the user or page.

Therefore, in spite of the learning curve, the logic is pretty simple: get involved, share, interact, and other plussers will do the same back. This type of environment creates a truly 'social' network, with users from all over the world not only sharing content, but circles and their contacts as well, expanding shared spheres of influence.

It's worth noting that although our page represents MYD as an architecture firm, we do not use Google+ (or any social media outlets, really) for marketing purposes. It could be the nature of the practice or our approach to obtaining projects, but social media is a means to learn, share, and find inspiration, and that's the basic extent of our goals.

So, if you're looking for instant gratification, an immediate return, or an outlet to promote products, Google Plus might not be the place for you, but if you're engaged, patient and willing to put in the time, you will get more out of it (and a different experience) than that of other sites.

For more on the subject, check out a great post from +DeAno Jackson on how google+ works, and see first hand what makes it different than facebook or twitter...

For further technical guidance, there are countless resources on how to best implement G+; a search will yield over 1.5 billion pages on the subject. Additionally, you can go straight to the source and find pages dedicated to best practices and how to add circles, create albums and all that fun stuff.

Thanks for stopping by, and hope to see you in our circles!

Best, +Architect | MYD

We just wanted to share a few new images of our recently completed contemporary cottage in Laguna Beach... Once the driveway and exterior landscaping is complete, we'll be back with another update.

Until then, click here to visit our latest image gallery for the project, and have a great weekend!

Charles and Ray Eames inspired us to appreciate the world by honoring 'the uncommon beauty of common things.' EAMES WORDS uses the words of Charles and Ray Eames to focus on the lesser-known aspects of their lives, revealing their appreciation of the value of humble objects and useful tools. Their insights about the simple pleasures of daily life are illustrated with objects and materials available during their lifetimes and contemporary examples from the world around us.  AplusD.org

We'll let the words themselves tell the rest of the story... Enjoy!

For more Eames entertainment, check out this interactive postcard created in conjunction with the show, and visit the Pacific Standard time site for more details on the exhibit and others throughout the region...

Thanks, and have a great weekend!  Lauren + Jason

This preliminary design includes a floating tub on a raised tile platform, layered on top of new light wood floors. A custom vanity will be built of rift white oak, a beautiful material that we'll use at several locations throughout the second floor. A honed carrara marble slab for the countertop will complement the oak, and modern chrome fixtures will add a bit of polish. A wall cladding of vertical siding will tie into the new master bedroom design... which we'll be sharing here sometime soon!  Cheers, MYD

His prolific career started while working with Pritzker Prize winner Luis Barragan after studying architecture at Universidad Nacional Autonoma de México University. In the early 1960s, Legorreta went on to establish his own firm, Legorreta Arquitectos in Mexico City. He brought Mexican Modernism to the forefront of the global dialogue on design, and did so beautifully...

By applying a vernacular aesthetic to the principles of the International Style and taking a regional approach to post-war modernism, he created an unique architecture utilizing light, color and massing to create a sense of place. In fact, he brought this sensibility to downtown Los Angeles in the early 90's, incorporating bright hues and sculpture in the redesign of Pershing Square.

Though Legorreta had a diverse portfolio of projects that spanned the globe, much of his most famous work is in his home country of Mexico, including the well-known Hotel Camino Real, below.

View more images of his work at the website of Legorreta + Legorreta, renamed in 2000 to represent a new organizational approach with an international scope. Currently, the office is led by Ricardo's son, Víctor Legorreta, along with several principals, who continue to uphold Legorreta's guiding principles to 'design human and friendly environments, with atmospheres that convey peace, privacy and optimism' and 'create an architecture that meets the needs of society while contributing to building better cities'.

For more on the Erosion sink, click here.

So, as one door opens... well, apparently another one opens- quite literally, the front door to MYD's contemporary cottage in Laguna Beach, a project we've been actively involved in for the past couple years throughout the design and construction phases.

We'll be sharing official photos of the residence soon, but in the meanwhile, here are a few recent construction images of this lovely cottage, just blocks away from the Pacific Ocean in the heart of South Laguna's tight-knit community.

We've been receiving much-appreciated positive feedback from our clients, neighbors and passers-by, and that makes all the hard work well worth the while. We've been having a great time along the way, though, and, above all, are thrilled that the homeowners are happy and as excited as we are with their new Laguna home.

So, here they are... the latest and greatest! (until further notice, that is...)

There is still a bit of landscaping to work on, as well as some hardscape and a few exterior finishing items- staining the deck, adding fixtures, replacing the asphalt driveway with permeable pavers and all that good stuff, so we're almost there.

Meanwhile, here's how things are looking at the interior... Again, a few items to complete- including the installation of a solid piece of reclaimed wood for the fireplace mantel, and some fine-tuning throughout, but already, it's become a truly beautiful, light-filled space with great views of the Pacific, making for the perfect beach cottage.

To check out some of the construction progress images from recent months, visit our construction photo page, and you can view the floor plan here. We'll be updating our design page soon with more images, project information and related details, so keep an eye out, and thanks for stopping by!

Cheers, Lauren + Jason

As for me, I use my iPhone mainly for one thing- photography, which happens to be the topic of today's guest post at Inspired Design Daily. Often it's the most convenient, readily accessible and discreet means of documenting anything from friends, parties and events, to project ideas, design inspiration and onsite construction progress. These days, smartphones are equipped with powerful camera capabilities, which can be enhanced with a number of accessories and photo editing applications that enable users to elevate their phone pics with one (or two) swipes of a touchscreen.

Join me at Inspired Design Daily today, where I'm guest blogging on the topic of iPhoneography- we'll look at a few examples of beautiful camera phone art, as well as resources, links and accessories for those interested in taking their skills to the next level. 

And just in time to ring in the new year!

Cheers, LM