Collection by Sarah Amandolare
Dwell on Design West Side Home Tour
On June 14, 2014, during Dwell Design Week, take this self-driven tour of modern homes on the West Side of Los Angeles. Along the way, traverse the glass-walled suspended stair at a two-family duplex, walk the deck of a yacht-inspired home, and see how the former site of a traditional bungalow has been transformed by a sleek two-story residence.
AIA architect David Hertz, known for 747 Wing House, looked to the structure of a butterfly wing when designing this Venice home. The inverted roof of Silver Triangle House (or Butterfly House) captures water that collects in a sump and is used for subsurface irrigation. The roof is just one of the home's sustainable features, which, Hertz says, "are not compromises to the design; they're part of the design." Photo by Laura Doss.
On a 40-by-120-foot lot, architect Don Dimster designed and built a duplex for himself and his wife, Lisa, the design director at Aether Apparel, along with his filmmaker brother, Dennis, and his wife, Noreen Perez. The group often convenes on the shared rooftop deck, which features a fire pit, mobile shades, and assorted drought-tolerant grasses, and is accessed via a glass-enclosed suspended stair. Photo by Eric Staudenmaier.
One of two Michael Ferguson-designed homes on our tours, the Wilson Residence in Venice is a testament to the evolution of the neighborhood: a traditional bungalow site transformed into the setting for a sleek two-story abode. Photo by Steve King Architectural Photography.
When he returned to Santa Monica after sailing for nine years, including through islands in the South Pacific, architect Thane Roberts began developing a philosophy called "evo-tecture." The design process emphasizes connection over privacy, and elements are seen throughout his family home, Meridian House. Photo by Sara Jane Boyers and Martin Cox.