Several years ago, Los Angeles–based firm Cigolle X Coleman designed the XYZ Houses, three dwellings on an urban block in Venice, California. Created in tandem, each garnered mass acclaim, including the AIA 2020 Merit Award for Residential Architecture. Recently, Y House was the first of the homes to hit the market.

Husband-and-wife team Mark Cigolle and Kim Coleman founded the firm in 1982 and spent decades designing, building, and living in several award-winning homes on the city's west side. They built Y House in 2018 with their son, fellow Cigolle X Coleman architect Reid Cigolle, as a personal residence for him and his wife, Isabelle.

"It is a uniquely private and quiet retreat, despite being just blocks from the beach," says architect and current homeowner Reid Cigolle." layout="wide" credit="Photo by Gavin Cater, Cater Photography" photoUserId=""/>

"We were attracted to Venice by its urbanity after years of living in Pacific Palisades," says Reid. "Many of our favorite classic Venice projects by architects like Frank Gehry and Morphosis are back houses or additions that created a unique scale and lot density that is difficult to find in contemporary projects."

"The ground floor is great for hosting; the concrete floors, glass walls, and front yard make these main living spaces feel inviting and casual," states Reid." layout="wide" credit="Photo by Gavin Cater, Cater Photography" photoUserId=""/>

The residence sits tucked behind the bustling Abbot Kinney Boulevard. Spread across multiple levels, the home presents 2,081 square feet of living space, stitched together via an open floor plan.

Of the three buildings, Y House was conceived as the family home, as it has a second bedroom suite and a living room–cum–play area on the third floor. “It has the most distinct rooms of the three houses,” says Reid. “Since we don’t have kids, it works great for us as a live/work house with his-and-her offices.”

A striking combination of steel, aluminum, and plywood, chosen for their strength and durability, impart a lot of personality. “We felt that the material palette captures the playful attitude of the heyday of modern architecture in Venice,” continues Reid.

The show-stopping feature is the central staircase, which was fabricated as a single piece. “The house was literally built around the stairs,” states Reid. “The staircase feels very powerful in the space and sets up the relationship between the different floors.”

After recently buying another property nearby, the couple are seeking a new owner for the abode. Scroll ahead to see more of Y House, now listed for $2,650,000.

Project Credits:

Architecture: Cigolle X Coleman

Photography: Gavin Cater of Cater Photography / @caterphotography; Eric Staudenmaier Photography / @ericstaudenmaier

528 Grand Boulevard in Venice, California, is currently listed for $2,650,000 by Tracey Becker of Compass.

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