An Architect’s Minimalist Home Gets a Splash of Color Inspired by Porsche

When architect Dan Brunn designed Bridge House, his home and studio in Hancock Park, Los Angeles, in 2019, he envisioned it as an ever-evolving gallery-like space that celebrates natural materials, the surrounding landscape, and his love for collecting cars—with an expansive motor court fronting the property.

In its most recent evolution, he decided to bring art into the actual architectural form of Bridge House after he discovered that Porsche and paint brand Backdrop collaborated to bring four iconic Porsche colors to life in celebration of the sports car brand’s 75th anniversary. "Over the course of its existence, we've always used it as a place to share art, to invite artists," says Brunn of the 4,500-square-foot home. "We've had anything from sculptures to wall art, so it became a very natural position to actually use the house itself." 

The colorful new palette is a fitting one for Bridge House, which is entered via a motor court that showcases Brunn’s car collection that currently numbers eight, including a 1987 Porsche Carrera 3.2 and a 1996 Porsche Carrera 4S. "It's an experience starting from public spaces at the driveway, and the deeper you go, the more private it becomes," says Brunn.

The four colors in the Porsche x Backdrop collaboration reference a different era from the sports car brand’s brilliant 75-year history. Riviera Blue—a shade developed in 1994 and frequently seen on the Porsche 911, 928, and 968 models—holds particularly poignant memories for Brunn: While he was an architecture student, he passed a Porsche dealership every day on his way to school and immediately became enamored with the electric hue of a Riviera Blue 993 out front. In his first professional project, he chose to replicate that color on a statement wall but the only way to do so at the time was by using actual automobile paint from a body shop. "When I saw the Porsche x Backdrop collab drop, and that color was there, it was just mind-blowing to me that it's available now and somebody could just roll that on without that entire chase that I had to do to get that same color," says Brunn.

The new splashes of color in Brunn’s home stand in stark and playful contrast to the existing palette—think patinated cedar cladding that has silvered over time, and entire rooms wrapped in timber punctuated by floor-to-ceiling windows framing the lush landscape. In doing so, they bring a vibrant energy to the otherwise tranquil space.

From the pebbled motor court, the home is entered through two enormous pivot doors, which Brunn describes as being "almost like an embrace… the doors open to hug you." The impact of the newly applied color is immediate, with an Irish Green statement wall visible as soon as doors swing open to reveal the atrium. The dark hunter green wall is not only a nod to the lushness of the surrounding landscape but it also acts as an extension of the living wall that defines the space and conceals a hidden bar. "When we host events, it's really fun to see people's reaction to the bartender opening the panels and saying, ‘Here's your hors d'oeuvre,’ or ‘Here's your food’," says Brunn.

Another dramatic moment of impact is created in the circulation space that runs past the internal courtyard that separates the more public living spaces at the front of the home from the secluded zones at the rear. This transition between public and private is marked by four vertical slats interspersed with glazing that offers glimpses of nature to invite reflection. 

These slats have each now been painted one of the colors in the new Porsche x Backdrop 75th anniversary collection. "Before it was art, architecture, and light—now, you have these four iconic colors that provide incredible punctuation," says Brunn. "It’s beautiful to watch it evolve throughout the day and see the colors reflecting on the floors and ceiling."

The play between interior and exterior spaces is a common theme throughout the home—large areas of glazing invite the outside in, and there are several outdoor living and entertaining spaces, including the internal courtyard, a pool area, and a semi-private outdoor gathering space anchored by a Cor-Ten firepit. "The idea with the design was to un-design in a way," says Brunn. "To find nature and be one with nature."

Given this affinity with the landscape, this latest evolution of Bridge House is a natural one. "Just as the landscape will change, the house will behave the same way," says Brunn. "Color has never been something I shy away from, but now I have a reason to have it in my home. After so many years of seeing the house as a clean, white space, it’s exciting." 

Shop the colors at backdrophome.com/porsche. 

Project Credit:

Architect: Dan Brunn Architecture / @dbarchitecture