Ahead of Retirement, a Los Angeles Couple Reimagine Their Home for What’s Next

As we move through life’s stages, naturally our needs and desires change. When a design-loving Los Angeles couple began to contemplate retirement, wherein they’d be spending much more time at home, they decided they wanted to expand upon their much-loved Spanish-style residence to create spaces that would accommodate them as they age in place.

The couple approached Annie Barrett, a principal at New York–based Aanda Architects (previously Aalso Architects), to discuss the project, and it was soon decided it was necessary to collaborate with a Los Angeles architect. So, Barrett reached out to Hye-Young Chung, a friend from graduate school and founder of HYCArch.

"It was really a carefully built triangle, between my studio in New York City, Hye-Young’s studio in Los Angeles, and the owners," says Barrett.

The team set about a redesign that would "reflect and enable the owners’ desire to live a centered, curious, intentional life in a space that felt unique, beautiful, and particular to them," Barret adds.

While the clients had initially envisioned a simple addition and interior renovation, it turned out to be much more. Barrett and Chung explored a number of different schemes, deciding on a radical transformation of the existing home that would allow for a single-story design.

The result is Centered Home, named both for its innovative "nesting" floor plan and the fact that it will literally become central to the couple’s life as they spend more time at home during retirement.

Centered Home is screened from the street by a cluster of San Pedro cacti, which dramatically contrast the dark shou sugi ban cladding. Set into the facade is an inviting entrance clad in warm teak, drawing you into the home.

The open-plan design is organized around a crenulated solid form at the heart of the home, which is affectionately referred to by the design team as "the cube." Private spaces lie within—a bedroom, bathroom, and space for meditation—while storage and other infrastructure are concealed within its walls.

The more public spaces for cooking, dining, lounging, and exercising are located around the cube, creating a cleverly nested plan with pocket doors that allow for flexibility.

"We worked closely with the client," starts Barrett, "discussing how organizing the home concentrically, with the most private program at the center surrounded by an open plan, could engender new patterns of living in a 24-hour cycle. We also discussed how designing the living space around a sculptural skylight would embed a sense of flux and transformation to the space."

The procession from the exterior world to the private interior spaces is highlighted by the material palette. The darkness and depth of the shou sugi band cladding contrasts with the entry niche carved from warm teak, which then leads to bright and airy interior spaces. Given the quality of the finishes and the bespoke cabinetry throughout the interior, it’s no surprise that these elements were the most costly part of the project.

"The material palette poetically mimics our collaborative effort," says Chung. "It’s a variety of different textures that at times compete and at others complement one another, but they all come together seamlessly to create a harmonious story."

One of the biggest challenges of Centered Home was preserving elements of the existing design while implementing new ones. There was a 100-square-foot bathroom, for example, that the clients wanted to keep because of its exquisite mosaic glass tiles.

"We ended up ripping everything down—from the exterior shell to the floor joists—around this one jewel box of a room, which levitated above the construction site," recalls Chung. "We are so excited we were able to both salvage that room and create the new spaces."

Despite the concentric nature of the floor plan, it was essential to maintain a connection to the outdoors. The home has a series of apertures that achieve this in varied ways, from windows positioned in alignment with the cube, to full-height windows that connect to views of the perimeter landscape.

Two skylights—one crowning the timber-lined vaulted ceiling in the primary bedroom, and a sculptural one above the living room—are defining features of the home.

"I love the living room skylight, which really feels active and transformative as you move around the home throughout the day," reveals Barrett. "My favorite part of the project, however, was the process. We all feel like the outcome is truly special and reflects the intensive collaboration between designers and owners."

Related Reading:

An Architect’s Slim Home Emphasizes the Outdoors and Aging in Place

Before & After: A Thorough Renovation Primes a Portland Home for Aging in Place

Project Credits:

Design Architect: Aanda Architects / @aandaarchitects

Interiors: Aanda Architects

Architect of Record: HYCArch / @hycarchitecture

Project Manager at HYCArch: Meaghan Pohl

Builder: GHBW

Structural Engineer: Ibarra

Landscape Design: Hocker Design / @hockerdesign

Lighting Design: Theia Lighting Design

Cabinetry Design: Aanda Architects and HYCArch

Cabinetry Fabrication & Installation: Silver Strand Inc.

Photographer:  Brandon Shigeta / @bshigeta