Kirk Shimazu, AIA, Architect | The Shimazu Residence, 2003

Here on the bluff above the Ballona Wetlands, this peaceful neighborhood is close to Loyola Marymount, Google Spruce Goose, and the tech companies of Silicon Beach, yet from the chaos of Venice and the Marina. The home itself is a trifecta of good fortune: great architecture, impeccably renovated, with a comfortable lifestyle. The architect designed this home for his family from the inside out, responding to the sloping site with sectional interventions that are spatially and sculpturally exciting, building on forbears like Schindler. And each interior space is connected to the outside with floor-to-ceiling glass, outdoor patios, upper balconies, and decks, continuing the rich tradition of indoor/outdoor living that is quintessentially Southern Californian. An avid design enthusiast took over stewardship of the house, picking up where the original designer left off, and completed the composition with high-end bespoke finishes from top to bottom. The result is a sophisticated aesthetic experience, sublime and powerful, yet subtle and sensitive, receding gently into the background and allowing a focus on people and parties, eating and drinking, living in a work of art.