One of four sited in South Los Angeles, a starter home designed by Lehrer Architects and constructed for roughly $200,000 occupies an infill lot provided by the city.
A geometric glass entry gate leads to the rear unit, which has its own address.
The exterior was sealed through shou sugi ban, an environmentally friendly fireproofing practice common in Japanese architecture. The black exterior seems to disappear into the evergreens from one angle, and pops against the white snow from another.
Designed in the early 1950s by architect Roscoe Hemenway for the inventor of the famous View–Master toy, this ranch house was reimagined by Bohlin Cywinski Jackson for enhanced views, light, and indoor/outdoor connection.
The house is oriented north-south, with the broad side of the structure facing east-west. This guarantees not only gorgeous views of the sunset, but also minimizes wind exposure.