The exuberant results of Hertz’s design are visible from the street. Giant birds
of paradise, king palms, and bamboo tower above the fence. The Balinese long building, seen on the far left, is almost nautical; on the right, the original house’s rammed-earth entry wall frames its concrete layers.
The landscape design, by Anna Boeschenstein of Grounded, followed a 2,200-square-foot extension by Formwork architects Robert and Cecilia H. Nichols. The front door is painted in Chinese Red by Sherwin-Williams.
The two basalt layers, meanwhile, showcase American black maple and polished concrete floors.
With his son, William, watching, architect Noah Walker tries out the floor-to-ceiling Schuco glass doors he integrated into a guesthouse he designed off an existing barn for Nathan Frankel, an amateur violinist, in Beverly Hills, California. The new portion features an open living-dining area.
Fields of native grasses connect the main residence, situated at the top of the slope, to the new structures scattered below. A pergola extends from the post-and-beam structure that was maintained during the remodel of the midcentury home.