He Only Built One Home—So They Gave It a Singular Renovation
A thoughtful restoration celebrates the only house ever built by architect and activist Kazuo Umemoto.
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Nestled into a hillside in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Mount Washington, this 1961 post-and-beam home is a classic, simple, midcentury fusion of wood and glass. But as architect Sonya Lee began renovating it, the bittersweet story of the home’s original designer, Kazuo Umemoto, came into focus. The house is special not only for its design but because it is a singular work in its noteworthy creator’s career.
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Brian Libby
Dwell Contributor
Brian Libby is a Portland-based architecture writer who has contributed to Dwell since 2004. He has also written for The New York Times, Architect, CityLab, Salon, Metropolis, Architectural Record and The Oregonian, among others.
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