Schwartz House, 1994

Pierre Koenig, Architect | Schwartz House, 1994. Where Case Study House 22 was a bold experiment that secured the architect’s reputation at a young age, Schwartz House represents his more mature and expressive work, the last project to be completed during his lifetime. Here in the first offering since the architecture was commissioned, Koenig demonstrates a mastery of materials, sensitivity to the environment, and a harmonious relationship with nature. In a celebration of structural steel, the home is held aloft by four heroic columns, minimizing the impact on the site. The living space has then been rotated on axis thirty degrees, focusing on the southern exposure and capturing on-shore breezes to conserve energy. Less an object in the landscape than a machine that dissolves the boundary between indoors and outdoors, the home is a study in restraint, and views through floor-to-ceiling glass provide the most elegant wallpaper in the world. The perfect integration of form and function, the structure is literally the finish, the palette of materials minimal and serene: black steel framing, galvanized wall panels, aluminum fenestration, frosted glass. Inside, the home is warm and inviting, with hardwood floors, speckled light playing on white walls throughout the day, and an open plan connecting living, dining, and kitchen spaces. A guest suite with separate entry has many alternate uses as home office, gym, or studio. Updated recently with all new appliances, new roof, refinished floors, and extreme care, as the owners prepare to pass stewardship of this historic home to the next generation.